Photo by Gregory Yamamoto – The Honolulu Advertiser

I didn’t know who Michael Tongg was until I had to help put together a video in his honor. He was an exceptional waterman who had a special connection with the sea. He won various canoe paddling championships, helped establish canoe paddling internationally, and played a vital role on the Hokule’a. He gave his time and energy to helping his community, through the Waikiki Community Center. And as a family lawyer, he represented hundreds of children and parents, and fostered over 50 children throughout his life.

Putting together Michael Tongg’s tribute video at work required, among other things, hours of listening to his peers talk about these qualities. The main message I took from making this video: Michael Tongg was a strong, positive person who took every challenge he faced with stride and confidence. He also inspired his peers to face life’s challenges. And I realize that Tongg, someone I had never heard of before, also inspires me to be a stronger person. Life, whether professionally or personally, often presents us with challenges. It’s up to us how to face them. I’d like to face them in the same way he did. With serenity. With strength. With confidence. Because in the end, you will become a stronger person for it.