Goodbye to my friend, Eric Maehara

Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu and Eric Maehara at Karamatsu's February 18, 2010 fundraiser at St. Andrew's Priory.

Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu and Eric Maehara Karamatsu's February 18, 2010 fundraiser at St. Andrew's Priory.

“Shimauta” – The Boom:  This is a song Eric Maehara would always have me sing whenever we were at Maru or other karaoke bars.  I sang the Japanese version of this Okinawan song.  I dedicate this song to him.

I am saddened to have lost a friend, Eric Maehara who passed away on Thursday, April 1, 2010.  I got to become friends with him through Representative Jerry L. Chang who is also a friend of mine.  My grandpa Maurice Karamatsu was a friend of his father, Angel Maehara, thus, it was an honor that I became friends with Eric.  He was such a genuine and good person.  He was also a great attorney.  When Eric Maehara and I hung out at the karaoke bars, he would always place a song for me to sing called “Shimauta”.  After I first sang it in front of a crowd, I could tell he liked that song.  I have so many great memories with him.  At my August 26, 2009 fundraiser at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, he collapsed outside on the lawn towards the ocean.  When I went out to see if he was okay, there were paramedics and several other friends by him.  He told me with tears in his eyes to get back to my fundraiser.  I knelt down on the grass towards him and he used all his effort to hug me even though the paramedics tried to stop him.  He loved politics and being at the state capitol.  No matter how ill he was, he enjoyed working on the many bills for the legislature.  Eric came to my Fundraiser at St. Andrew’s Priory on February 18, 2010.  That was the last time I spoke to him.  I will miss him a lot.