The great baseball player, Jackie Robinson once said, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives”. In last week's blog, “Honolulu is Dying”, I wrote about the toxic pathogens in our oceans…I, as well as others believe this pollution is caused by inadequate sewer systems in Hawaii that are now spilling out raw human waste when the system backs up during heavy rains. These microorganisms are now causing severe sickness for many people who play in our waters…

Over 50,000 people read and passed my blog on to others and I was surprised how many people commented about becoming ill, one person wrote how he lost a cornea from an infection while surfing off Maui and another about losing one of his legs after surfing…

Two of my friends whom I spoke about in the blog, Guy Steele and Davey Temple shown in the photographs above were brave enough to come forward and go on television to tell their stories…they showed their wounds and with their interviews, exposed the fear they had during the healing process…I learned Davey’s wound was so bad that her doctors wanted to amputate her foot…Both spend many days in the hospital, all because they got cuts their feet when they were in or near the water…Guy’s was a coral cut and Davey’s from a rock by the shoreline…

Their interviews uncovered a new reality…if you have an open cut or abrasion, do not go into the water…if you get cut in the water, immediately clean it and watch for redness around the wound…if a red line develops from the wound, get to Urgent Care immediately…do not wait…Gone are the days when our elders told us to go into the ocean as the salt water will heal you…now the water can become deadly for you…

It takes a lot of bravery to reveal oneself to the public, to let other people see into your personal life, your anxiety and angst about how people will look at you and will define you in the future makes many people fearful of exposure…However, the burden of knowledge is strong and takes its toll and Guy and Davey felt motivated and emotionally engaged to influence and inspire others to protect themselves from our now present dangers in the ocean…

So what everyone needs to keep in mind is we learn from others daily and you don’t have to assume a role in life of not communicating your concerns, if you sit back and say nothing of injustices or problems then we are all doomed…Do not fear speaking out, it is your power and it will protect you in the future…
Thank you Guy and Davey…And remember, the bottom line is this, what you do for only yourself will die with you, but what you do for the greater good will make you immortal…