Although fire crews and the Navy stopped searching days ago, the family and friends of missing hiker Daylenn Pua — along with complete strangers — pressed on with private efforts, including helicopter flights and spotters, thanks to nearly $10,000 raised through crowdfunding.
"It’s been overwhelming to see the number of people — who didn’t know the family — that just came together," said Kawehi Inaba, a Hawaii island woman whose son is a schoolmate and friend of Pua’s. "There were reports of where he might be, pictures taken from drones that pointed out where he could have been."
But so far the private search has turned up no sign of Pua, 18, last seen Feb. 26, when he left the Waianae Coast to go hiking in the Koolau Mountains.
Inaba contacted a friend who owns Paradise Helicopters and was willing to provide a helicopter and pilot at cost, and Hawaii island professional photographers Tom Kualii and Bruce Omori, who have experience shooting photos from helicopters using telephoto lenses.
The money to keep the search going was raised on gofundme.com.
The page, Aloha no Moke Pua, was set up by Alicia Ilikea Denzler Kam, a teacher at Ke Kula ‘o ‘Ehunuikaimalino, where Pua, who goes by the name Moki, is a senior.
As of 8 p.m. Monday the drive had raised $9,695, surpassing the goal of $8,000.
Inaba also chartered Pacific Helicopter Tours.
Kualii and Omori, acting as spotters from the helicopters, donated their time and flew to Oahu. They hoped to get clear, high-quality images of anything that would help in finding Pua.
"I came for one day and stayed three days," Kualii said Monday afternoon. "The last flight was this afternoon. We didn’t find anything. It’s heartbreaking. Meeting the family was emotional and knowing we’re leaving without finding anything."
Also assisting in the search was a trained tracker dog, Mia, owned by Maui Search and Rescue.
David Concepcion, who hiked extensively in search of Pua, posted a photo Monday on his Facebook page of a shared embrace with Pua’s father, Donald.
The caption, dated Saturday, reads: "Shedding tears on Donald’s shoulder (Moki’s Father) after we took him up on his first helicopter ride in an effort to find young Moki.
"When he started whistling loudly to call his son, so loud that I can hear it through my noise-canceling headset and the sound of the helicopter engine, an intense feeling, one that I will never forget, came over me and I couldn’t help but cry on his shoulders once we landed.
It’s unclear how long the search efforts will continue.
