Hawaii lawmaker remembered as a humble and courageous man from Pearl City

Precautions to curb the spread of COVID-19 might have kept crowds of mourners away from Tuesday’s memorial service for state Sen. Breene Harimoto at the state Capitol, but legislative colleagues and other officials were there to offer ample praise for a man they described as humble and courageous.

Harimoto, 66, died June 18 after a five-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He served the Pearl Harbor Pearl City-Aiea district for six years and previously sat on the Honolulu City Council for four years.

Although the Capitol remains closed to the public due to the pandemic, the memorial service in the Capitol’s Senate Chamber was shown live on ‘Olelo Community Media and on the state Senate Facebook page.

More than 20 of Harimoto’s family, colleagues and staff attended. In his remarks, Senate President Ronald Kouchi recalled Harimoto as a humble man from Pearl City.

>> PHOTOS: Hawaii lawmakers pay tribute to late Sen. Breene Harimoto at memorial service

Mark Recktenwald, chief justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court, said he had never met a more courageous person.

“While his illness raged, he kept going,” Recktenwald said. “Serving as a legislator is incredibly demanding work, but he kept coming to this building. He continued to welcome people into his office, he listened thoughtfully to what they had to say and he made up his mind and did what he believed was right.

“However sick he must have felt, however tired he must have been, he persevered and continued to serve the people of Hawaii with honor, integrity and great skill,” Recktenwald continued.

State Sen. Donna Kim (D, Kalihi Valley-Moanalua- Halawa) fought back tears during her tribute to Harimoto.

“I’ve worked with scores of public officials during my years in office, but none has come close to possessing Breene’s integrity, fortitude and dedication,” Kim said. “Few have equaled his quiet strength and determination.”

She said the two gravitated toward each other when Harimoto joined the Senate back in 2014. Kim said they shared not only the same values and experiences, but also a legislative assistant — a situation they often joked about.

Kim added that he was never an attention seeker when it came to getting things done for his constituents.

“He would work tirelessly behind the scenes, heard the concerns of the community and was steadfast in pursuing what he felt would contribute to the greater good,” she said.

State Rep. Gregg Taka­yama (D, Pearl City- Waimalu-Pacific Palisades) remembered Harimoto as the guy who mowed the grass at Momilani Community Center in Pearl City, where Harimoto worked as executive director.

“In many ways it’s the heart of Pearl City, and Breene gave it life,” Takayama said. “And for years Breene could be seen tending to its grass and weeds, being pulled along by a lawnmower that often seemed bigger than he was.”

Norman Nakanishi, senior pastor of Pearlside Church, chimed in with a quote from Harimoto’s favorite song, “The Prayer.”

“In the song we are told, ‘Lead us to the place, guide us with your grace, to a place that we’ll be safe,’” Nakanishi said. “Sen. Harimoto is there today — no pain, no radiation and no chemo.”

Harimoto is survived by his wife, three children and three grandchildren.