Jess Mokuahi Key

“Content warning: suicide, abuse.

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Both my parents were drug addicts. My mother raised my brother and I alone while addicted to drugs and unknowingly suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. She attempted to end my life by drowning me in the bathtub. My early years were horrific. I was physically, sexually and emotionally abused. I lived in constant fear, on high alert. I lived in foster homes, runaway shelters and was eventually adopted. My adopted father was a legend in Hawaii: a champion pro wrestler, surfer, canoeist, and head coach of Hui Nalu Canoe Club. Paddling was life-changing for me. I loved being on the ocean; it brought peace within my soul and allowed me to turn a fierce energy within into something positive.

However, my inability to process my childhood trauma resulted in teenage alcohol abuse and depression. I attempted suicide at age 18. After graduation, I plunged into a crystal meth downward spiral and was headed down the same path as my mother. Thankfully, I chose otherwise: I stopped doing meth immediately and joined the Army at 19.

My favorite memory was at Kunming 2017. We were lining up to race the 1k; it was raining and cold. My teeth were chattering uncontrollably and I was really sick. As I looked up to the heavens, a beam of light shone directly over our lane. I silently prayed for my team and asked for strength to race. Premier Women dominated and we won gold!”

[Jess Mokuahi Key (Charleston, SC & Kaneohe, HI, USA), paddler on Florida Tarpons and US national team.]

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