University of Hawaii linebacker Makani Kema-Kaleiwahea was lost in emotion when he learned the NCAA had granted a waiver that would allow him to play this football season.

“I was crying,” Kema-Kaleiwahea said.

There were tears of gratitude for coach Norm Chow, who offered a football scholarship when the future was uncertain, and for compliance officer Amanda Paterson, who fought the good fight with the NCAA.

There were tears of thankfulness for Brianna Summers, his wife of a year who works two jobs and encouraged him to pursue his football dream.

And there were tears of pride for Kaimana and Kala‘i, his foster “brothers” who were now his adopted sons.

“I just stayed faithful,” Kema-Kaleiwahea said. “I kept praying on it. I’m just blessed.”

Kema-Kaleiwahea, who was raised in the foster system, was known as Keoni Bush-Loo as a Kamehameha Schools student. During his first year at the University of Arizona, he and Brianna applied to become licensed foster parents. At the time, they were both 18.

“They said we were probably the youngest licensed foster parents in America,” Kema-Kaleiwahea said.

After they wed last summer, they applied to adopt the two boys whom Kaleiwahea considered to be his younger brothers.

“They’re not even my blood brothers,” he said. “We grew up in the foster program. I have brothers and sisters of mine who aren’t even blood. I love them all the same.”

The adoption meant returning to Hawaii. Kema-Kaleiwahea requested — and received — his release from his Arizona scholarship. The couple adopted the two boys, now 11 and 10, in November.

With Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez’s blessing, Kema-Kaleiwahea contacted Chow.

“There were no guarantees,” Kema-Kaleiwahea said of the return to Hawaii. “I put faith in God, and put everything in God’s hands.”

Soon after, Chow offered Kema-Kaleiwahea a scholarship. He enrolled at UH in January, then applied for an exemption that would allow him to play this season. The NCAA requires a player transferring between FBS schools to redshirt at the second school.

“I kept sending (the application) in, and (the NCAA) kept sending it back,” he said. “They always wanted more information.”

On Friday morning, he was summoned to Chow’s office.

“Coach Chow kind of scared me,” Kema-Kaleiwahea said. “He had a sad face on him. Then he said, ‘You’re cleared.’ I was real emotional. Me and Coach Chow were hugging. And we talked about now it’s time to play ball.”

Kema-Kaleiwahea is competing for the starting job as an outside linebacker. He made two big defensive plays during Friday’s 11-on-11 session. “I had a little juice today,” he said, smiling.

He then thought of his other team. “The kids are doing awesome,” he said of his sons. “They just started up school a couple weeks ago. They’re busy right now. Soccer is starting out for them. And they’re taking jiu-jitsu. That keeps them busy.”