In response to the “One way ticket” story in Tuesday’s issue, I live in Waimea and have known Graham Ellis since 2015 as a friend and have also been involved with promotion for Cirque Ohana, which he directs. Graham is passionate about Circus performance for children and has written many grants for funding classes. He knows that children who are active and learn skills like juggling, aerial acrobatics, and unicycle are both more physically fit, as well as gaining confidence and pride in working with a team.
I have seen children who don’t fit in with the other children change as they learn skills and feel better about themselves and find new ways to interact with others. Graham fosters this growth in so many ways, through his time and energy and complete dedication. I’ve included a photo of Graham with a few of the children he supports and adults he works with. He is a man who cares deeply about his community and family and works tirelessly to help them all be the best they can be and supports them in every way possible. He loved contributing to the welfare of his community through fitness and learning about grace and graciousness … through performance.
I hope that he can be granted a voluntary departure so that he may wrap up his work, pass the duties to others (for example the Summer Camp for children that he is involved with) and say goodbye to family and friends (he has many friends because he has touched so many lives).
He is in his late 60s, he is not a flight risk, and he was planning to move back to England anyway after learning that he has leukemia and his parents are in declining health. He is a wonderful and very involved stepfather and loving husband. He will be missed here so much and we would love to be able to thank him for his boundless dedication and contributions to our little island community.
I trust him completely to be bound by any conditions set for him as to his departure and ask only that he have some amount of time to tie up the loose ends. There is no risk of him fleeing, as his goal is to move back to England. Graham has been a dedicated caregiver to his stepchildren and I especially worry about the twins who are still so young. It would be terrifying to them to have him ripped out of their life without getting a chance to be told by Graham that all is well and that he is going to England as they planned, just a bit earlier than expected.
I hope our government can grant this good man a chance to wrap up his work and affairs here before he leaves the country.
Marie Fellenstein Hale is a resident of Waimea