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LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – A stunning and emotional meeting recently happened in Henderson between strangers.
Pam Keola, from Hawaii, had never heard the name of Henderson Vietnam veteran Kenneth Pavese. He also had never heard Pam’s name.
Little did they both know they had something quite remarkable in common.
Keola’s father, Benito Igarta Junior, was killed in action in Vietnam in 1966. The helicopter he was in took enemy fire and crashed.
Keola was just three years old when her dad passed. She says her mother never talked about her father as she got older. And Keola has been trying to find information about her father for decades, let alone talk with someone who knew him.
Pam and Kenneth’s worlds were about to collide in a stunning way.
Pavese took an April trip to our Nation’s Capital as part of “Honor Flight Southern Nevada.” The nonprofit takes veterans to tour their war memorials, at no cost to them.
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Pavese visited the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall to find his friend, Benito Igarta Junior, who he served with in Tustin, California in the early 60’s. They worked on helicopters.
Igarta was sent to the war, while Pavese was not called.
FOX5 also went on the April honor flight and saw Pavese standing at the wall after he found his buddy. After asking Pavese a couple questions, he then left the wall in tears and was comforted by an honor flight photographer.
FOX5 later aired the story of Kenneth Pavese finding Benito Igarta Junior. In a stunning twist, two family members of Igarta, who live in Las Vegas, saw the FOX5 story of Pavese at the wall. They became emotional after seeing the name Benito Igarta Junior.
They contacted other relatives, who then contacted FOX5 and said they not only knew Igarta, but he was the father of a woman back in Hawaii, Keola. She then contacted FOX5 to say how grateful she was about our news story.
She said she hoped to meet Kenneth Pavese someday.
With help from honor flight sponsors, America First Credit Union and Semper Fi Heating and Cooling, Keola flew to Las Vegas to meet Pavese. Other relatives traveled with her.
Keola and other family members met at Pavese’s Henderson home. Pam and Kenneth greeted each other with hugs. They sat down and talked about what brought them together, Benito Igarta Junior.
Pam didn’t know until the meeting that her dad was an aircraft mechanic.
“He knew that aircraft inside and out. And anything I couldn’t do on it, he helped me. One time we had a throttle control, it was sticking. And he took it all apart, like it was nothing. He was a really good mechanic. Something I couldn’t even attempt,” said Pavese. “Never boisterous, never outspoken. Just mild mannered and they really enjoyed working with him. He was a very good person. Very good.”
Keola also learned from Pavese that her dad was selected to care for a commander’s helicopter. He took so much pride in the duty; he waxed the helicopter.
“His ability, his workmanship, his mild mannered, his gentleness and not an assuming authority. Very, very calm person. That’s what I liked,” said Pavese.
Keola thanked Pavese for paying his respects to her dad at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.
“I’m happy my father made an impact on you for you to remember him all these years later,” said Keola.
Pavese also showed Keola the etching he took of Benito Igarta Junior’s name at the memorial.
“It’s beautiful. Thank you for looking for him,” said Keola.
The two also looked at pictures of helicopters and photos of Keola’s family members back in Hawaii. She says she has three biological children and 12 special needs kids she adopted.
After the meeting, and more hugs outside Pavese’s home, Keola said they will return to Hawaii and tell the family how she now knows more about her dad through Pavese.
And while the family lost a family member decades ago, Keola said the family from Hawaii gained “Ohana,” all because of a moment of respect and honor that made its way onto television.
“We have Ohana. Ohana means family. And you’re our Ohana now,” Keola said to Pavese.
“Wow. Thank you,” Pavese said.
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