SCITUATE, MASS. (WHDH) – The Scitutate community is fondly remembering a couple killed in a helicopter crash in Hawaii Thursday during a post-retirement trip.

Patrick “P.J.” Haskell, 59, and his wife Margaret Rimmler, 65, lived in a Scituate neighborhood near the ocean. They took a trip to Hawaii last week after Haskell permanently retired from the insurance business he ran with his father for decades.

“We figured Massachusetts was close enough for us, and then when we hear it was our next door neighbor – it was shocking. Absolutely shocking,” said Steve Osborne, a neighbor.

Neighbors said Rimmler worked in the tech marketing field for years, and Haskell had big plans for retirement involving his garden and bee hives.

“He loved his gardening, and he had an overabundance of vegetables in the summertime,” said Mary Talbot, a neighbor.

“I had just spoken to him last week, and he had checked the bees and they all made it through the winter,” Osborne said.

On Thursday afternoon, the sightseeing helicopter the couple was flying in crashed near a remote beach off the coast of Kauai, killing them and one other person. Experts say the area’s geography of tall seaside cliffs and sharp mountain ridges can make for turbulant air and hazardous flying conditions.

In a memorial posting, Haskell Insurance Agency wrote, “Patrick recently retired and along with Margaret, deserved many more years together…Patrick’s kindness and selfless nature impacted all who knew him. He extended respect and compassion to everyone he encountered.”

Neighbors said the couple will be sorely missed.

“They were just the nicest people, the nicest people,” said Osborne. “Every time I look out over there it’s just so sad.”

Federal authorities are investigating the cause of the helicopter crash.

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KEA‘AU — The 2026 BIIF track and field season continued over the weekend, with Kamehameha-Hawaii hosting the meet for the second straight week.

Konawaena senior star Violet Schaut made her return to the track after missing last week’s meet, making her mark with wins in the girls 100 (12.37s) and girls 200-meter dash (25.19s). Schaut was also part of the 4×100 relay team with Kaella Masters, Jazmin Fillmore and Dasha Kala — winning the race in 50.19 seconds, which was a stadium record.

Schaut, who continued her dominant runner career by establishing herself as one of the best in the state in 2025, is picking up right where she left off in the new season — collecting seven total wins through two meets.

Schaut’s teammates, siblings Paxton Sokham and Aden Sokham, had a nice day on the track — with Paxton Sokham finishing first in the boys 400-meter with a personal-best 49.94-second finish and placing second behind Aden Sokham in the 100.

The Sokhams were also part of the winning 4×400 relay team with Kareem Walker and Lucas Carvalho. who broke a venue record with a time of 3:29.95.

While Konawaena looked strong in the short-distance races, Kealakehe made its mark in the long-distance ones — as sophomore Zadie Bolton took victories in the girls 800 (2:27.62) and girls 3,000-meter race by over 20 seconds (11:13.01). Bolton has had a strong season already, earning six individual wins through three meets in long-distance running.

Fellow Waverider Elisa Childers, one of Kealakehe’s strongest long-distance runners, won the 1,500-meter run in just over five minutes, 26 seconds. The senior also placed second behind Bolton in the 3,000 race (11:35.54). Teammate Lily Marhsall won the girls 400-meter dash with a personal-best time of 1:04.65.

In the boys long-distance bouts, Hawaii Prep junior Jack Soon-Ludes claimed victories in the 800 (2:08.48) and 1,500-meter race with a season-best time of 4:22.24. Through three meets, Soon-Ludes has won five long-distance runs.

Leading the hurdles once again was Kamehameha-Hawaii junior Judah Kanoa, who won the boys 110-meter hudles for the third time this season with a time of 14.54 seconds. In the 300 hurdles, Kanoa won for the second straight week, crossing the finish line at the 39.89-second mark.

Kanoa was also part of the Warriors’ 4×100 relay team that won in 43.93 seconds. His fellow teammates on the squad were Iopa Quintana, Hawaii Iokepa and Tanoatoa Muskat.

Kanoa has been outright dominant in the boys hurdles since last season, and has already collected six individual race wins thus far.

In the field events, Kohala junior Mari Ontiveros broke a venue record in the girls shot put — throwing for a distance of 12.57 meters (41-03.00).

In the discus throw, both the boys and girls winner notched personal bests — Kamehameha’s Chanse Kaaua-Long throwing 47.44 meters (155-08) and Hilo’s Wai Krismunando launching 31.19 meters (102-04). Saturday marked Kaaua-Long’s second straight week winning the event, while it was Krismunando’s first win of the year in any event.

Leading the high jump was Kohala sophomore stud Na‘i Rivera, who won the boys contest with a leap of 1.75 meters (5-09.00) — equaling his personal best that he set last season. Rivera has won the high jump twice in 2026.

In the pole vault, both winners matched their personal-best launches — Kaimanamaikalani Bowman of Kamehameha leaping 3.96 meters (13-00.00) in the boys field and teammate Taliya Nishida clinching the girls contest with a vault of 3.04 meters (10-00.00).

Bowman has won the boys pole vault thrice this season, while Nishida has won the girls portion twice.

Konawaena senior Trenton Wong Yuen earned his second long jump win this season after matching his personal-best leap of 6.64 meters (21-09.50). Kealakehe’s Ia Pabre won the girls triple jump after launching a season-best 9.70 meters (31-10.25).

The season will continue this weekend in North Hawaii, as Hawaii Prep is set to host this upcoming Saturday’s meet.

Visit https://live.athletic.net/meets/58847 to view the full results from this past weekend’s contest.