Brakes put on Laureen and Andrew Alesna went to the Kapaa High School graduation Friday night even though their son Tyler did not march with his classmates.
Kauai graduation
cruisingLast year's deaths of
2 students prompted a
stop to the practiceBy Leila Fujimori
Star-BulletinTyler Alesna and classmate Clinton Nakagoshi, both juniors last year, were killed in a car crash on graduation day shortly after school let out early for seniors.
The deaths of the two Kapaa juniors rocked the small Kauai community and prompted a campaign to stop the practice by high school seniors, who are let out early on graduation day, of driving around the island in convoys.
"Hundreds of cars would be lined up at a time, stuck in traffic, literally bumper to bumper, honking their horns and hanging out windows," described traffic officer Lawrence Stem.
This year police, schools and community members campaigned to stop the tradition.
Police warned that drivers in convoys would be cited for not having a permit for a legal convoy. Kapaa High School Principal Gilmore Youn said radio stations ran announcements against the practice. The school also warned students that if they were caught in a convoy, they could lose the right to participate in graduation exercises.
But Youn said it wasn't the ordinance that stopped his school's seniors from cruising.
"Out of respect for the two boys, the class decided on their own they weren't going to participate," Youn said.
Police said there were several minor accidents along with the double-fatality on graduation day last year, whereas this year, there were no reports of convoys or many accidents.
On June 2 last year, Tyler and Nakagoshi, the reported driver, had left the campus with another classmate, Torao Nakamura, who survived the crash and graduated Friday.
The three were heading toward Kapaa on Kapaa Bypass Road, when their car crossed the center line. An oncoming pickup truck driven by a Kapaa senior broadsided the car shortly after noon.
The Alesnas say their son was not in a convoy and had just gone to McDonald's for lunch. But Andrew Alesna, who participated in the convoy tradition in his youth, said enforcing the law and ending the practice was a good development.
"At least it will prevent some accidents," he said.
Friday night, Kapaa High School seniors also paid tribute to their classmates at graduation ceremonies.
"It was very touching for us," said Laureen Alesna. "Each graduate brought up a single plumeria to a special picture table for the two boys. It brought tears to my eyes."
Family and friends joined the Alesnas in a prayer gathering last night to remember Tyler. But they also celebrated the first birthday of the Alesnas' first grandson, Rylan-Tyler, who will serve as a reminder of his uncle. "He was born the day my son died," said Laureen Alesna.
Andrew Alesna said it was hard to deal with the death of his only son and youngest child.
"It's the one year anniversary today, but it's just like the first day it happened," he said.his only son and youngest child.
"It's the one year anniversary today, but it's just like the first day it happened," he said.