The banner features an image of Gerald and his son Reef. Photo: Katherine Aikau/Hawaii News Now
Back in June, tragedy struck the Aikau family. Gerald Aikau, the 42-year-old nephew of Eddie Aikau, fatally stabbed his 7-year-old son, Reef. Shortly afterward, he took his own life. According to reports, Clyde, who is Eddie’s younger brother, found him hanging from a tree outside the family compound in Pauoa Valley. Now, a few months later, the 33rd annual Longboard Surfing Classic at Kuhio Beach in Waikiki has a tribute to the Gerald and Reef–but Katherine Aikau, Reef’s mother, is upset about it. The memorial is a picture of Gerald hugging Reef in happier times.
“If you want to put a picture of Reef… that would be very honorable,” Katherine Aikau said to Hawaii News Now. “But to put them together, it’s like erasing history and what happened. That Gerald murdered Reef… and to put the murderer with the victim, it’s just so heinous and outrageous and disgusting.”
The tribute includes a banner and t-shirts with the image of the father and son. The t-shirts are for sale, and all the profits go to charities in Hawaii. China Uemura’s organization, the China Uemura Surfing Foundation, organizes the event. He’s raised more than $200,000 over the years.
The shirt for the 33rd annual Longboard Surfing Classic at Kuhio Beach. Photo: Katherine Aikau/Hawaii News Now
Uemura was very close to Gerald and Reef. According to reports, Gerald had struggled with addiction and mental health problems before he killed Reef and himself. Uemura told Hawaii News Now that he meant no disrespect with the memorial. “Losing my boy Gerald and my boy Reef, it was hard for me… it’s more a dedication to them,” he said. “Everybody at this contest going, ‘Beautiful picture, China. Beautiful picture of Reef and Gerald.’ I said, ‘Yeah, that’s my boy and I gotta do something for them and I’m gonna miss them for the rest of my life.'”
