[ HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ]
Hawaii legend on the
field and in the churchONOSAI TANUVASA / 1951-2004
One of Onosai Tanuvasa's last accomplishments was turning the Pearl City football team into a contender.
It was one of many good deeds done by Tanuvasa, who died at 52 of liver cancer Wednesday night at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego.
Only his immediate family knew the pain Tanuvasa was going through. He didn't tell anyone else that he was sick.
Tanuvasa was visiting San Diego and working to arrange funeral plans for his brother Aufua Tanuvasa, who died at age 42 on March 16.
Onosai Tanuvasa will be remembered for being one of the best high school football players in Hawaii history. As a running back for Farrington in the late 1960s, he was the first player to rush for more than 1,000 yards in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu (before the Governors left for the Oahu Interscholastic Association) and he also went on to play fullback for the University of Hawaii.
"When I was playing in high school, he showed me the film of him running for a 97-yard touchdown," said Shane Tanuvasa, one of Onosai's four offspring. "It was a Turkey Day game against Punahou. Me and my dad asked around a lot if anyone in Hawaii had a longer run, but we never heard of one."
Onosai Tanuvasa is also survived by his wife, Lorraine, brothers Watson and Reno, sisters Malo Auelua, Sama Liufau, Kamako Faamatau and Nanipua White, son Michael, daughters Joni and Karli and hanai sons Michael Yamauchi-Yamate and Shaun Wilkinson.
"This is very sudden for us," said his daughter Joni. "But we have great memories. He was our protector. We never had any worries. He was the big man who would come and save us from everything."
Shane Tanuvasa was a coach with his dad for the last eight years, from Pop Warner to two seasons with the Pac-Five intermediate team to the last two years with the Pearl City varsity.
"My dad was the founder of Moanalua Pop Warner in 1987 and he coached there until 1999," Shane said. "He was a motivator. He was one who got the kids to believe in themselves. He told them that most people who fail don't know how close they are to success, that it's right in front of them and they don't even know it."
"He was larger than life in many ways," said longtime friend and football colleague Mike Vasconcellos. "I've never seen a more complete person in my life. He had such a good heart. He never did things for ego, but always to do the right thing. I miss him. I miss him now already.
"He touched everyone he met and everyone he walked with. He was magical and had that Midas touch. He was one of a kind and they don't make 'em like that any more."
A Makiki resident, Tanuvasa was self-employed. He spent much of his career in the tour industry and in movie production.
He led Pearl City to the Oahu Interscholastic Association playoffs last fall.
Yamauchi-Yamate was one of the Chargers players who won't forget what Tanuvasa did for him.
"If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be playing football," Yamauchi-Yamate said. "He took me in as a son when I needed it. I was in trouble and he helped me out of trouble and to get my legs straight.
"I know I'll miss him a lot. He did anything he could to help us players, like a father to us all. He believed in all the players no matter what and he was always there."
Tanuvasa was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a "very religious person," according to Shane Tanuvasa.
"He would always leave different messages on his cell phone about faith in God, and all my friends used to call just to hear what the newest message said," Shane said.
