As an infant, I lived with my family in a single wall plantation-style home in Wahiawa. I have also lived in Crestview, where I attended Kanoelani Elementary School, Whitmore, Mililani and Waipio Gentry. I began working for my parents’ local small business at the age of 10. It started with simple tasks such as: emptying rubbish bins, sweeping the warehouse, polishing windows and cleaning vehicles. Over time, I learned more specialized tasks as well as the art of customer service.
I attended Hanalani Schools, where I completed elementary, intermediate and high school. There I learned the importance of hard work, humility and perseverance. Growing up, I played basketball, which taught me how to work on a team and allowed me to develop my competitive drive. As a pre-teen, I developed a passion for riding BMX, which allowed me the opportunity to challenge my physical toughness, mental ability and creativity.
I earned my bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis on Accounting from the University of Hawaii at West O’ahu in 2015. In that program, I was trained in ethics, transparency & accountability. My college journey was very different than your typical accounting major. I enrolled in as many non-business courses as possible. I sought out courses such as: ethnobotany, horticulture and world religions. I also joined the UHWO Eco Club, in which I became treasurer, created a bank account and raised funds for the club. This afforded me the opportunity to learn about the ahapua’a of Honouliuli. I was blessed to be granted the chance to traverse the Palehua-Palikea Trail and learn about its cultural significance from Anu, the areas caretaker. Through the Eco Club, I was invited to Laulima on the hale project on the UHWO campus. These experiences were some of my most memorable times in college.
At the age of 26, I was blessed with my first baby boy, Maverick. He attended Kanoelani Elementary for Kindergarten in 2020, which was disrupted from covid. Our children were the hardest hit from a pandemic that was clearly mishandled. We decided to put him into Hanalani Schools, my alma mater, in order for him to get more dedicated attention in a smaller class size. He was enrolled there for first, second and third grade. He seemed to thrive in that setting rather than being kept six feet from his co-horts.
In 2018, My wife, Chanel, and I became a union under God. We had a beautiful ceremony and reception at Sunset Ranch in Pupukea. It is a day that will be forever cherished in our hearts. Our family and closest friends attended, where we recited vows in Charlie’s Fern Garden on the property and danced the night away in the barn turned into a ballroom. It was simply magical.
In August 2020, my second boy, Silas, was born. Kapiolani Medical Center, The State of Hawaii and the City & County of Honolulu, stole the most precious moment and basic human right from my wife and myself. Although being promised by the staff of Kapiolani Medical Center on the night prior, I was denied access to the medical facility due to covid quarantine. Because Chanel had one day left of quarantine, I was told that I was not able to enter the facility and her room in the name of safety to myself. Therefore, she was left alone with no one to support, protect and advocate for her in the delivery room.
Chanel was treated as a second-class citizen and given sub-par care. The staff was slow to act and failed to notify her OBGYN in time as well as administer her epidural in a timely manner resulting in a compromised delivery. Our precious Silas was born with torticollis, which we firmly believe was the result of the hospital staff’s mistreatment. Additionally, the staff took Silas from her without her consent. He was not returned to her bed side until her OBGYN arrived and informed the hospital that they did not have the right to strip him from her side. We filed a complaint with the medical center. They were unapologetic and kept poor records of the encounter, which resulted in their benefit.
These events led us to question the current way of life and infringement of rights that we experienced. I will not mince words. I am angry; we are angry. For too long, we have been manipulated by our governing officials. It is time that we, as citizens, stand up to the tyranny and bad actors that have taken over our government. I am here to be that thin line. I am going to fight to return the government back into the hands of the people. I believe that I possess a diverse quiver of skills, values and judgement that our current leadership lacks. It is time that we the people erect a government for the people, by the people.
Sincerely,
Daniel Michael Gabriel