By: Makayla Dilliner
Hawaii is known for itʻs vast blue ocean that stretches far and wide for the world to see. And for many island natives, the ocean can be a sanctuary of healing for both the body, mind and life— especially when shared with the ones you love most. With the continued love and support of his wife and three children (Lea, Kaiākea, Keliana), 1993 Kalāheo grad Kai Bartlett has used the ocean as a place for both competition and healing. As a professional paddler, Bartlett is a five-time solo and ten-time relay World Champion of the Molokai Race. He continues to design for his world-class canoe business, Kai Wa’a. And most recently, Bartlett has been inducted into the Duke Kahanamoku Waterman Hall of Fame.
While his success in the ocean stretches far and wide, it was not until after high school that Bartlett first got his first paddling experience. “I didnʻt step into a canoe until I was 21. And it was because I was building canoes for a guy named John Martin.”
“I grabbed the boat out of the bushes and fixed it up– then started getting into it. And then he let me make a boat in the shop. After, I did my first race— did pretty good so I thought you know it's something I should stick to.” In his documentary titled “Kai Life”, Bartlett recounts his earliest feeling of paddling in the ocean. “I just remember looking to my left then to right and thinking wow this is killer! This is freedom...nobody around me.”
Kai Life captured when he created his first ever canoe. And while Bartlett recalled his first boat being a “dud”, it was the joy in creativity and process of it all that kept him going. “I had so much fun. You start out with a block of foam. And everything’s up here,” he explained as he pointed to his head. And in 2001 the adv entrepreneur combined his knowledge of canoe building and love for paddling to create the well known canoe company Kai Wa’a.
“What’s so amazing to me is that he was building canoes before he even started paddling,” his wife Kealani (Kea) Bartlett described. What he has is such a unique thing– being able to turn your passion into a job? Many say that’s what they want to do but how many actually are able to turn it into a reality?”
“Running a business and raising a family is tough, but luckily I have a great boss, and she’s the mother of our children,” (Kai Life IS THIS A QUOTE FROM THE MOVIE? Maybe say as he said in his documentary). But the champion has been able to overcome more than just the obstacles in the ocean. Facing difficulties, most of us could never imagine— but through the power of the ocean and Ohana, he is able to keep going for another day. Battling Multiple Myeloma, he shared what it is like to continue on with his life and family. “It’s a cancer in the bone marrow– it’s not curable. But they can treat it to the point where it’s somewhat non-threatening. But you have to do maintenance and live off maintenance for the rest of your life,” he explained in Kai Life.
Bartlett went onto share how the diagnosis made him feel, “I wasn’t angry. I wasn’t necessarily worried about myself. I was worried about my kids. They’re young, they need a father. Can I be there for them? Will I be able to see them graduate?” (Kai Life). “I knew if I had a fighting chance I knew I was going to pull it off because I want to be there for them. All I want to do is fight it.” (Kai Life).
Inspiring family and friends through his success and hardship, Kai Bartlett gave advice to students on fighting through hardship. “Don't let the pressures of life drag you down. Push through them and persevere through them. Life is painful but you've got to fight through it for what you love.”