http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2014/04/in-memory-of-francis-sammy-silva.html
I also heard Willy Tamasoa passed away earlier this year. I know of him, but don't know him that well.
Sad to say, another one star football player from my high school died yesterday!.
This time it's Aukuso Tuiolemotu!
Here is my facebook post
I first meet Aukuso in summer school PE class. This was between 9th & 10th grade back in 1996. I took the class just to get the PE credit over with, being that I'm not much of a runner nor a ball sport person. Aukuso was in that class as the teacher's assistant. At the time I thought he was about to be a senior, but it turns out he was just a junior. I remember in that class he played the role of the referee for some of the games. No one would have the guts to argue with that guy! I also remember one student tried to wrestle him and lost! Nothing serious though!
I remember that we both took the #2 bus to school. He was already on the bus when I got on! Sometimes, I would see him on the bus home too! The funniest moment was when the bus started to stink and everyone was trying to cover their noses. I had my hand on the nose, and he took my hand off my nose. He was a prankster like that! He also came prepared, with a black bandanna to cover his nose!
He also was the type to yell out your name out loud from far away. If you wasn't aware he was around and he yelled your name, you would be startled! He was a prankster like that! But you know what, it was all fun & games. Even after he called out my name, he would also introduce me to some of this football teammates. I guess you could say he made me famous! Some of the players he introduced me to are people I sometimes run into, whereas some are on my facebook list!
I also remember he would sometimes have a funny sense of style. He would die his hair silver or blonde. For Halloween, he would come in pajamas. Another time, he would have a chain going from his ear to his nose, like how some punk rockers have their chain go from the front to the back pocket!
With all his funny antics and pranks, he wasn't mean-spirited at all! Even with his big size, he was never threatening or cruel. He wanted everyone around him to have fun! You could also joke with him and he wouldn't take it personally!
Everyone had positive things to say about him, even the ones who aren't into the sports scene. Even a benchwarmer from the team who had issues with other teammates told me Aukuso was always respectful to him!
I never seen him in person after high school, though I heard he played some college football, first at City College of San Franciso, then later at San Diego State. Too bad he didn't play for UH, I think he would've made UH a much more fun place if he played here!
I did contact him on social media. First on myspace, then later on facebook. For a loud, funny guy in high school, he didn't say much on facebook! I don't think he checked his facebook very often. All I know was he was married to his high school sweetheart!
As for his death, I saw some comments on facebook that he had a heart attack. Some people mentioned that they saw him earlier in the week and he seemed healthy!
Much of the other comments posted on facebook after his death talked about him being the gentle giant, the funny guy, the good co-worker, good teammate, good friend and a good husband!
With all that said, it's a reminder that cherish your life now because life doesn't last forever!
