LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – In a heartwarming and emotional turn of events, a pair of strangers met in Henderson, bringing closure to a family marked by loss and celebrating a bond of shared history.
Pam Keola, visiting from Hawaii, and Kenneth Pavese, a Vietnam veteran residing in Henderson, were unaware of the common thread that linked them until their paths crossed.
Keola’s father, Benito Igarta Junior, was killed in action during the Vietnam War in 1966, when the helicopter he was aboard came under enemy fire and crashed.
At just three years old, Keola was left without the father she never truly knew, and as the years passed, her mother seldom spoke about him.
For decades, Keola has sought information regarding her father’s life and service, longing to connect with anyone who might have known him.
This yearning for understanding took an extraordinary turn when Pavese, who had served alongside Igarta, was part of an “Honor Flight Southern Nevada” trip to Washington D.C. in April.
This nonprofit organization provides veterans with a chance to visit their respective war memorials at no cost.
During his emotional visit to the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall, Pavese located the name of his long-lost friend, Benito Igarta Junior.
Both men had worked together on helicopters in Tustin, California in the early 60s, but while Pavese was not deployed to Vietnam, his friend was sent into battle.
Witnesses reported that after locating Igarta’s name on the wall, Pavese was overwhelmed with emotion, departing the site in tears, deeply impacted by the experience.
When news of Pavese’s poignant tribute to Igarta aired on FOX5, two relatives of Igarta, residing in Las Vegas, were moved to see the story and contacted the station.
They reached out to other family members and eventually connected with Keola in Hawaii.
Knowing of her desire to learn more about her father, they informed her of the touching report and of Pavese.
Eager to discover more about her father’s life, Keola reached out to FOX5, expressing her gratitude for the story and her hope of meeting Pavese in person.
With the assistance of sponsors for the honor flight, including America First Credit Union and Semper Fi Heating and Cooling, Keola flew to Las Vegas surrounded by supportive family members eager to reunite her with Pavese.
They met at Pavese’s Henderson home, where the atmosphere was filled with warmth as Pam and Kenneth embraced upon their introduction.
The two shared stories about Benito Igarta Junior, with Pavese revealing insights into his time working with him on helicopters.
Pavese recalled Igarta as a talented and dedicated aircraft mechanic, a man of few words but great skill and humility.
“He knew that aircraft inside and out. Anything I couldn’t do on it, he helped me,” Pavese reminisced fondly about his late friend.
Keola was deeply moved as Pavese shared memories of her father, recounting Igarta’s meticulous care for the helicopters, including taking pride in waxing a commander’s aircraft.
“I’m happy my father made an impact on you for you to remember him all these years later,” Keola expressed gratefully.
Pavese presented Keola with an etching he had made of Benito Igarta Junior’s name from the memorial, an emotional token of their linked past.
“That’s beautiful. Thank you for looking for him,” Keola said, cherishing the gesture.
They also shared family photographs, and Keola spoke of her love for her children – three biological kids and twelve adopted special needs children, illuminating her compassionate spirit.
As the emotional gathering concluded with hugs exchanged in the driveway, Keola reflected on how she would return home to Hawaii with newfound knowledge of her father thanks to Pavese.
Though decades had passed since their family suffered a loss, she expressed a sense of familial connection with Pavese, coining the term “Ohana” to signify their newfound family bond.
“Wow. Thank you,” was Pavese’s heartfelt response, encapsulating the powerful moment shared between two families brought together by love and remembrance.
image source from：fox5vegas
