Diane is KITV4’s weekend evening anchor and weekday reporter. She hosts the Aging Well series on Tuesday evenings at 5, 6, and 10 p.m. She is a mother, a cat owner, and a yogi.
If you like water sports and grew up in Hawaii, there's a chance you met Richard "Sonny" Tanabe. The former coach and teacher spent most of his life involved in aquatics, which he credits for helping him in Aging Well.
HONOLULU (Island News) -- If you like water sports and grew up in Hawaii, there's a chance you met Richard "Sonny" Tanabe. The former coach and teacher spent most of his life involved in aquatics, which he credits for helping him in Aging Well. Tanabe is 89-years-old and still swims every day!
In February, Duke's Waikiki honored him with its Hoʻokahiko Award for people who dedicated their lives to perpetuating Hawaiian culture and traditions.
"It's a great honor. I'm so surprised we have so many people out here," he marveled.
Tanabe's former colleagues from Kamehameha Schools Kapalama came including his old boss, Donald Metzger.
"He's a loving friend, always big hearted and took care of people," said Metzger.
Tanabe taught physical education, and coached the swim and water polo teams for over 30 years at the Kapalama campus. In full disclosure, this reporter was his student.
"I remember that very well. I remember all the swimmers at Kamehameha Schools. They all hated the swim suits," he laughed. "There was a reason. So no one would take home the suits!"
Born on the Big Island, Tanabe was an All American swimmer at Hilo High School. At Indiana University in 1956, Tanabe was picked for the United States Olympic Team. He also spent 30 years as an American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor, and a NAUI Skin and SCUBA Diving Instructor.
Drew Crocker is another former student and the general manager of Duke's Waikiki. He recalls Tanabe's teaching style as "geniune, loving, patient, nonjudgmental. It's like you just want to spend more time with him."
Tanabe says he feels good about his career.
"I had goals in life and I accomplished it. Everybody should have some goal in life," he said.
Son Steve Tanabe believes his dad is so young-at-heart because of "the combination of a healthy lifestyle and being active. Every time I talk to him, he's involved in some project, so I think that's a lot of it too."
Tanabe turns 90 at the end of the year and he says it's time to retire- for real this time! Steve isn't so sure.
"He'll always have his hand in something," laughed the younger Tanabe.
Or as Sonny's friends might joke, doing nothing makes him feel like fish out of water.
Diane is KITV4’s weekend evening anchor and weekday reporter. She hosts the Aging Well series on Tuesday evenings at 5, 6, and 10 p.m. She is a mother, a cat owner, and a yogi.
