A final farewell: West Hawaii lays local hero to rest

KAILUA-KONA — Tim Alspach was getting lunch at a downtown gas station Friday when he happened to pick up a loose copy of the West Hawaii Today. After a quick skim of the front page, he dropped the paper and raced down Queen Kaahumanu Highway.

Many in Kona set aside their mornings to pay final respects to Sgt. 1st Class Reymund Transfiguracion, a 2001 Konawaena High School graduate and Green Beret who was killed in action last month while serving his country in Afghanistan.

Alspach was unaware a motorcade was set to proceed late Friday morning from St. Michael the Archangel Church, following the official funeral service for Transfiguracion, to West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery where he was to be interred. But Alspach saw in the article that police were planning a salute to the fallen soldier along the highway, and he was inspired to show his own appreciation.

“My family has been in every major conflict since 1776, and I shake and I tear up easily because I attempt to understand the sacrifices that these young people go through — active, KIA, former service members,” Alspach said. “I start shaking and my heart starts to come up in my throat because for me it’s easy to acknowledge the profound sacrifice that we all take for granted.”

With seconds to spare, Alspach pulled to the side of the highway, produced an American flag bunting he had in his truck and was planning to send to his brother in Michigan, and stretched it across the side of the vehicle — visible as the hearse carrying a local hero to his final resting place rolled past.

“I’m so glad I caught the tail end of it,” Alspach said.

As the funeral procession and motorcade neared, officers raised their right hands and stood at attention and an American flag, Hawaii flag and Hawaii Police flag waved in the breeze.

The white hearse carrying Transfiguracion came to a brief pause fronting the flags as the officers held their salute before the motorcade continued north.

“He’s served in the military, he’s a local boy — it’s the least we could have done,” said Sgt. Grad Elarionoff, who’s been with the Hawaii Police Department for 19 years. “It’s just a supportive gesture toward a local family and the military.”

Scores of vehicles lined the road into West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery. Mike Sauer stood a the top of the hill where the gate was drawn open, passing out hand-held American flags to those making their way into the crowded burial service.

Sauer, a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3830 in Pahoa, wasn’t asked to do so. He just felt so compelled, and later explained why despite never having met Transfiguracion.

“Anybody that’s ever served, in all branches, it’s like a brotherhood,” Sauer said. “When we lose one, we lose someone close to us, whether we knew them or not.”

Those who knew Transfiguracion and those who didn’t alike gathered around the family to pray.

Then, in silence save for the fluttering of half-staff flags in the light wind of a warm and sunny Kona afternoon, mourners watched as six Green Berets meticulously folded the flag draped over Transfiguracion’s casket. One of the Green Berets then presented it to Transfiguracion’s wife, Edelyn.

Also receiving flags were his mother, Maria, and his children, Rylan and Ella.

The cracks of a 21-gun salute echoed across the cemetery, conjuring memories in the mind of one woman in the crowd who stood quietly behind dark sunglasses and under a black umbrella.

A little more than seven years before, it was Norma Camero at West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery bidding farewell to her son, Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher Camero, the last Hawaii Island military member to lose his life in combat before Transfiguracion. Like him, Camero was also killed in action in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

“In reality, there is no healing,” Camero said through a few soft tears as she remembered her son. “It’s just like it happened only yesterday. And I know what they’re going through now. I know the feelings and I know the pain. It’s really sad.”

Camero said she hasn’t reached out to the Transfiguracion family yet, but plans to do so in the future.

“I wanted to respect them at this time,” she explained. “I know that they are very busy, and one day I will meet his wife and talk story.”

The ceremony concluded as three choppers from Paradise Helicopters approached the cemetery from the south. Two helicopters — flown by Daniel Malakie and Calvin Dorn, former Army and Marine combat pilots, respectively — peeled off makai.

The third chopper, piloted by former Marine combat pilot Robert Mitchell, circled around and made another pass over the cemetery from the mauka side. As he flew in low, Mitchell released a payload of flowers, plumeria and orchids, softly raining down aloha from above.

A group of men dressed in blue, buttoned-up shirts were some of the last to depart after the ceremony concluded. Among them were Jonathan Boyes and Staff Sgt. Furtado-Piko, both of whom served alongside Transfiguracion at various points during his long stint with the National Guard.

Boyes said from the beginning, it was obvious Transfiguracion would be a military man for life.

Furtado-Piko, who at one time served as Transfiguracion’s team leader, said his friend had implored all of his fellow soldiers to join Special Forces after their final mission together.

“He asked every single guy that went on that special mission,” Furtado-Piko said. “He was the only guy who did it.”

He said he saw Transfiguracion some years later, after he’d become a member of Special Forces, at the Big Island Grill with his wife and kids. Furtado-Piko said he yelled loudly, “SF in the house!” in reference to Transfiguracion’s achievement of joining Special Forces.

“Reymund looked at me, and how humble he was, he put his head down and walked up to me and said (not to) say that,” Furtado-Piko recalled. “I said, ‘Bro, these guys need to know who you are.’”

After dying in service to his country, Hawaii Island knows who Sgt. 1st Class Reymund Transfiguracion was. And on Friday, hundreds who won’t soon forget paid respect to the life the local man lived, and the values for which he sacrificed it.