HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Honolulu lifeguard who found a boy lost at sea in October was recognized for his bravery at The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational opening ceremony.
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Noland Keaulana searched for hours until he found a 17-year-old Kamehameha student-athlete who went missing during a team practice.
Missing teen kayaker found clinging to kayak off Waikiki
According to Nainoa Thompson, CEO of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, Noland, who was off-duty at the time, called that night to ask if he could borrow a boat to go searching for the boy.
“He told me there should be no boy out there in the ocean overnight by themselves. I got to go,” Thompson added.
After getting the go-ahead, Noland spent the night out at sea and checked in with Nainoa to figure out the current outside Diamond Head.
The teen was spotted by the United States Coast Guard around 4 a.m. the next day and alerted Noland.
He spotted the teen clinging to his kayak and brought him onto his boat to head back to the Ala Wai Boat Harbor.