Hawaii
Watch rappeller rescue puppy from 25-foot deep volcanic fissure on Hawaii’s Big Island
Luckily for Misty the puppy, a dog rescuer and rappeller named Kawika Singson was able to come to her rescue in a remote part of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Watch the heroic rescue of a puppy trapped in a deep, dark crevasse
Nature Vlogger and outdoorsman, Kawika Singson, goes deep into a narrow crevasse in a remote region of Hawaii to rescue a trapped 9-month-old puppy.
Misty the puppy was in a remote are of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park when she got into a tight spot, literally.
Though it’s unclear exactly how it happened, Misty ended up at the bottom of narrow volcanic fissure that was 25 feet deep on June 9. She couldn’t get out and her owner couldn’t get down.
Luckily for Misty, a self-appointed dog rescuer and rappeller with no formal training named Kawika Singson is well-known on the Big Island. Her owner, who had heard about Singson through social media, reached out.
“There are like five volcanoes (on the island),” Singson, a former military man and avid athlete, recently told USA TODAY. “Some of these dogs, they end up wandering in large, very thin volcanic fissures − basically a crack in the ground that goes very deep.”
He added: “Not many people can actually go under.” But Singson can.
Dog rescuer drives 2 hours to Misty’s rescue
When Singson got the call about Misty’s plight, he knew he had to help. Misty’s owner did all he could to save Misty but found it impossible.
“They couldn’t even squeeze down to the crack,” Singson said. “They could hear the dog, but they could not see the dog.”
So Singson drove about two hours from where he was to the other side of the island before going into a dense forest area where Misty was trapped. When he arrived, he also could hear Misty but not see her.
“I put my lights on, and I got my ropes, and I somehow, I squeezed down into the crack, and I could see the dog down at the bottom,” Singson said. “She was about 25 feet down in the volcano and she was very anxious and looking up.”
Singson reaches bottom of crevice
Singson said that the crevice from where he entered the fissure was “extremely vertical,” and narrow.
Video that Singson took with his GoPro and shared with USA TODAY shows him rappelling slowly and squeezing down into the crevice, which appears just barely wider than Singson’s body.
When he arrives to the bottom, Misty is clearly distraught and whining. By that point she had been stuck in the crevice for about nine hours.
“She was scared,” Singson told Maui News. “Her paws were bloody cause she was trying to scratch her way out.”
Singson tried to comfort Misty as best he could, telling the Catahoula leopard dog: “Hey girl, it’s OK. It’s OK … You ready to go up, Misty?”
Singson was able to hook Misty up with a harness, and then people at the top were able to pull her to safety.
It was “pretty dramatic because it was pretty difficult getting down into it, even more difficult getting back out with the dog,” Singson said.
This was not Singson’s first dog rescue
Singson told USA TODAY that he has previously rescued at least six dogs, three of which were stuck in similar situations as Misty’s.
“Because I’ve done this several times before, I’ve learned what to bring in and not be afraid of tight spaces,” he said.
Simpson documents his adventures and rescue missions with his GoPro and Misty’s rescue was no different. The former military man is also a bit of local celebrity with his own TV show called “Everything Hawaii.”
Singson is not a formally trained rescuer. It’s something he does out of the goodness of his heart.
“I used to be in the military at one point, and I worked in construction for many years,” Singson says. “So I’m very athletic, very agile. These things, for me, they’re pretty easy … I’m not afraid to go down to try to get these dogs out.”
Misty’s owner, identified by local news outlets as a local man named Cody Gomes, told Island News that he gave Singson gas money for his long drive. Otherwise, Singson does the rescues for free.
“I told him, you know, ‘You’re very gifted and blessed because there’s not like a lot of people that would do what you do,’” Gomes told the station. “Especially out of the kindness of their heart. I had no words to explain how grateful and thankful I was.”
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7.
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – One of Hawaii’s sweetest partnerships is returning with a larger footprint this year.
In celebration of National Pineapple Day and Dole’s 125th anniversary, residents who donate blood on Friday, June 26, will receive a free fresh Dole pineapple while supplies last.
The effort is a collaboration between Dole Food Company and Blood Bank of Hawaii aimed at boosting donations during a time of year when blood supplies traditionally decline.
According to Blood Bank of Hawaii, donations typically drop by about 15% during the summer months, even as hospitals continue to rely on a steady stream of lifesaving blood products every day. Organizers say all blood types are needed, with a particularly urgent demand for O-type blood, platelet donations, and AB plasma.
The campaign also comes during a milestone year for Dole.
The company is celebrating 125 years of pineapple history, commemorating the fruit that helped shape Hawaiʻi’s agricultural identity and introduced generations around the world to the islands’ pineapple legacy.
This year, blood donors will receive not only a pineapple, but commemorative Dole-branded anniversary gifts while supplies last.
National Pineapple Day recognizes a fruit often called the “fruit of kings.” Though pineapples originated in South and Central America, they became deeply intertwined with Hawaiʻi’s history after James Dole established commercial pineapple operations in the islands in the early 1900s. Today, Dole continues operating facilities in Wahiawā while promoting initiatives centered around nutrition and community wellness.
Unlike previous years, organizers are expanding the giveaway to every Blood Bank of Hawaii donor center and mobile drive location participating on Friday.
Donation sites include:
Young Street Donor Center
1907 Young Street, Honolulu
6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Waikele Center
94-849 Lumiaina Street, Waipahu
7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Windward Mall
46-056 Kamehameha Highway, Kāneʻohe
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Hyatt Regency Waikiki
2424 Kalākaua Avenue, Honolulu
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Pearlridge Center
98-1005 Moanalua Road, ʻAiea
Noon to 6 p.m.
Appointments are strongly encouraged and can be made through Blood Bank of Hawaii’s website or by calling (808) 848-4770.
Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
The Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu welcomed the arrival of the Philippine contingent from the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard participating in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2026 that will be held from 24 June to 31 July 2026.
Led by Consul General Arman R. Talbo, the Consulate, together with members of the Filipino community in Hawaii, greeted the officers and crew aboard the PH Navy’s BRP Miguel Malvar and the PH Coast Guard’s BRP Gabriela Silang as they arrive and dock in Pearl Harbor, and conveyed support for their participation in the world’s largest international maritime exercise.
In his remarks, Consul General Talbo highlighted that the deployment of both a Philippine Navy and a Philippine Coast Guard vessel to RIMPAC 2026 reflects the Philippines’ growing maritime capabilities and its commitment to advancing maritime security, interoperability, and regional cooperation alongside allies and partners to promote a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific region.
The Consul General further underscored that the participation of BRP Miguel Malvar and BRP Gabriela Silang is especially meaningful as the Philippines and the United States commemorate the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year. He noted that the presence of both vessels at RIMPAC symbolizes the strength of the Philippines-US alliance and the expanding cooperation between the two countries in defense, security, and maritime affairs.
Named after two distinguished heroes of Philippine history, BRP Miguel Malvar and BRP Gabriela Silang also serve as reminders of the Philippines’ enduring legacy of courage, patriotism and unwavering dedication to national sovereignty.
The Philippine contingent will join other ships and personnel from participating nations during RIMPAC 2026 to further strengthen interoperability in multi-domain combat and contingency training. END
This article is brought to you by The Office of the Consul General of the Republic of the Philippines in Honolulu.
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(BIVN) – 10,000 rubber duckies will “race” across the lake at the Kings’ Shops in Waikoloa this Fourth of July.
The 34th annual Great Waikoloa Rubber Duckie Race will be on the Saturday, July 4th, held in support of the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Hawaiʻi.
From a news release courtesy the Kings’ Shops and the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Hawaiʻi:
The community fundraiser brings together a July 4 celebration, live entertainment, keiki activities and one of Waikoloa’s most visual traditions to support programs for children and adults with cerebral palsy and other disabilities with similar service needs. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with scheduled activities beginning at 11 a.m. and the rubber duckie race starting at 3 p.m. at Kings’ Shops.
“Each year, this event gives the community a fun, visible way to support programs for people with disabilities and their families across Hawaii,” said John Nishida, executive director of United Cerebral Palsy Association of Hawaii. “The duckie race has become a Waikoloa tradition because it brings people together for a celebration with a purpose.”
More than $25,000 in prizes will be awarded, including a grand prize trip for two to Japan. Additional prizes include resort stays, golf packages, boat cruises, dolphin experiences, gift baskets, shopping and dining certificates, and more. The first 50 duckies to finish the race, along with the last-place duckie, will win prizes for the people who adopted them.
This year’s Super Quackers theme will bring costumed superheroes throughout the center for photo opportunities and family-friendly fun. Tommy Ching returns as emcee, and the first 250 people to RSVP will receive a commemorative Super Quackers can cooler, while supplies last.
Event highlights include A-Bay’s Watermelon Eating Contest, live music by Kona Soul and Keoni Thompson, the Original Big Island Shave Ice Co. Shave Ice Eating Contest, the Fitness Forever Challenge, a preview of Aloha Theatre’s “Seussical,” and the duck waddling and duck calling contests. Guests will also find a scavenger hunt, free keiki activities, local artisan and food vendors, merchant offers, temporary tattoos by the Hawaii Army National Guard, Keiki ID services by the Hawaii Police Department, and pupus and drinks at Roy’s Waikoloa Bar & Grill.
Duck adoptions are $5 each. Special adoption packages include the $30 Quack Pack, which includes five ducks in the race and a free T-shirt, and the $100 VIP package, which includes 40 ducks in the race and a free T-shirt. T-shirts for Quack Pack and VIP package adoptions will be held for pickup on race day.
Duckies may be adopted online in advance. In-person adoptions will be available at Kings’ Shops on July 2 and 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and July 4 from 10 a.m. until sold out.
For more information, contact UCPA of Hawaii at (808) 532-6744 or visit kingsshops.com/events.
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