Opihi picker had ‘passion’ for ocean

Rudy Kalani Rojo, who grew up surfing and swimming in Oahu’s waters, died Sunday after a wave swept him out to sea while he was picking opihi on the North Shore. He was 60.

The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s office identified Rojo, of Waia­lua, on Tuesday and said the cause of his death was pending.

On Sunday, Rojo and another man were picking opihi on the rocks between Wai­mea Bay and Three Tables Beach when Rojo was washed into the water, the Hono­lulu Fire Department said.

Lifeguards brought him back to shore and performed CPR on him before transferring him to an ambulance. Rojo was taken to Kahuku Medical Center. The incident happened at about 2:45 p.m.

His youngest half sister, Rowena Rojo of Kalihi, said Rojo loved ocean activities and Hawaiian music.

“That was his passion: playing the ukulele and cooking and surfing,” she said. “That’s why I’m so surprised.”

She said her brother was a hardworking family man who had worked as a driver for Coca-Cola and, more recently, as a cook at a North Shore restaurant that has closed.

“He grew up around the ocean,” she continued. “I’m shocked.”

Rojo grew up in Kalihi, the oldest of his father’s eight children, and attended Farrington High School.

Annette Kepa, his half sister, said Rojo was an excellent swimmer and surfed with his siblings as a youth. She said he knew to not turn his back to the ocean.

She said Rojo was a great dad and “was very soft-spoken, very shy.”

“I know he’s in a good place because he had a good heart,” she said.

Jonathan Rojo of Wai­­anae said his brother loved living through the ocean.

“My brother was real Hawaiian-oriented,” he said. “He died doing what he loved.”

Rojo is survived by his daughter, Ilikea Galloway of Oregon.

Over the past several years, several opihi pickers have died in the Hawaiian Islands.

In May, 30-year-old Peter Mahoe was last seen climbing down a cliff face to pick opihi near Cape Kumu­kahi on Hawaii island. Hawaii County firefighters and the Coast Guard ended their search for Mahoe after searching for several days without finding any sign of him.

James McGivern Jr. of Paauilo drowned off the Hama­kua coast on Hawaii island while picking opihi in September 2013.

In March 2013, Harold Magan­tu­lao, 30, of Kahu­lui was found floating in the water after leaving friends to pick opihi off Haiku.