SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2018 WESTHAWAIITODAY.COM 75¢
Above: Members of the Green Berets bring Sgt. 1st. Class Reymund Transfiguracion to his final resting place at his internment ceremony Friday at the
West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery. Top left, a Paradise Helicopter makes a flower drop. Top right, representatives from veterans groups pay their respects.
PHOTOS BY LAURA RUMINSKI/WEST HAWAII TODAY
KAILUA-KONA — Tim Alspach was
getting lunch at a downtown gas station
Friday when he happened to pick up a
loose copy of the West Hawaii Today.
After a quick skim of the front page,
he dropped the paper and raced down
Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
Many in Kona set aside their mornings
to pay final respects to Sgt. 1st
Class Reymund Transfiguracion, a 2001
Konawaena High School graduate and
Green Beret who was killed in action
last month while serving his country in
Afghanistan.
Alspach was unaware a motorcade
was set to proceed late Friday morning
from St. Michael the Archangel Church,
following the official funeral service
for Transfiguracion, to West Hawaii
Veterans Cemetery where he was to be
interred. But Alspach saw in the article
that police were planning a salute
to the fallen soldier along the highway,
and he was inspired to show his own
appreciation.
“My family has been in every major
conflict since 1776, and I shake and
I tear up easily because I attempt to
understand the sacrifices that these
young people go through — active,
KIA, former service members,” Alspach
said. “I start shaking and my heart
starts to come up in my throat because
for me it’s easy to acknowledge the
profound sacrifice that we all take for
granted.”
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INSIDE
TIME TO
GO HOME
Leilani Estates
evacuation
order lifted
PAGE 5A
▼
IT’S ALL
FAIR GAME
Kona Fair returns
this weekend
PAGE 6A
▼
HI 88 LO 76 WEATHER, PAGE 4A
VOL. 50, NO. 251 14 PAGES
A FINAL
FAREWELL
WEST HAWAII LAYS LOCAL HERO TO REST
BY MAX DIBLE & CHELSEA JENSEN
WEST HAWAII TODAY
mdible@westhawaiitoday.com
cjensen@westhawaiitoday.com
Motorcyclists form an honor guard at Sgt. 1st Class Reymund
SEE HERO PAGE 5A Transfiguracion’s internment ceremony Friday.
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