Grieving widow loses wedding rings in burglary

HONOLULU — A Hawaii woman whose husband died at their son’s high school football game in August is grieving again after thieves ransacked their home and stole the couple’s wedding rings.

John Mahelona suffered a heart attack in August as he watched his son, a defensive lineman, play in Kapolei High School’s game against Kahuku High School, KHON-TV reported. The family lives in Nanakuli, a community on Oahu’s west side.

Mahelona’s youngest son returned from school Wednesday to find their home in shambles. Mahelona’s wife, Moani Nahulu-Mahelona, said thieves apparently broke in through a window in her son’s bedroom.

“I can’t understand who would do something like this to us or to anybody,” she said. “I feel violated. My sons, my husband was our security blanket, so he was our protector and now trying to figure out, how do we protect our home?”

The thieves took items belonging to her three sons.

“You took away what I had left of my husband. You took away from my sons. That’s why I’m crying. They already gotta deal with not having their father, but you took everything that was left of him,” she said.

The burglars also took a small safe. It contained money donated at her husband’s funeral and jewelry she holds dear.

“Our wedding bands. Just jewelry throughout the years my husband had bought for me. Our anniversary diamond rings and Tahitian pearls,” Nahulu-Mahelona said.

Nahulu-Mahelona started dating her husband in high school. They lived in their home for more than 30 years. Nahulu-Mahelona hopes the wedding bands can be recovered.

“Just things that he worked so hard in his life and to get and to provide. To provide just those special gifts. That’s it. It’s irreplaceable,” Nahulu-Mahelona said.

Honolulu police are investigating the burglary.