Kahana-The Untold Stories

by Ann Kennedy

  Matthew confides to Kim that he has PTSD. Kim admits to him that he does, too. Matthew says, “I never talked about it before. I found some understanding about it nine years ago when I read Audie Murphy’s autobiography, To Hell and Back. It took a lot of courage for him to come forward.”

  Kim adds, “It was taboo to talk about it. You had to keep it to yourself. People didn’t understand it then, and most don’t understand it now. Hell, I didn’t understand it.”

  Matthew agrees with Kim and goes on to say, “In the 1970s, Audie Murphy brought it to the forefront when he spoke publicly about his battle with PTSD. People listened to him because he was the most decorated soldier of the second world war and a Hollywood movie star. After he spoke out, no one could ignore it, no matter how hard they tried to sweep it under the rug.”

  Then Kim says, “He fought on the battlefield and he also fought for all the veterans. He asked the government to study the effects of a soldier’s combat experience. He demanded that the government extend healthcare benefits to veterans with PTSD. Five months later, he was killed in a plane crash. Then some legislation was introduced in 1971.”

  Matthew replies, “The government is slow to move. It’s 1984, and it has been thirteen years since legislation was introduced. Some minor things have been done, but not enough.”

  Kim agrees and then tells him about his symptoms with PTSD. “Whenever I get startled, my first response is to strike back. I knew my wife and my kids would tiptoe around me in order not to startle me. They did this because they were afraid of me. They did not want to do anything that could trigger one of my angry outbursts. Sometimes, I would see the extreme fear in their eyes about what I might do next. I didn’t want any of them to be afraid of me. I loved them.”

  Kim also knew that Joan hoped that she could help him get better and fix him through the years. He wishes that were true, but there had been nowhere to get help for him and his family at the time. There was no counseling available for the families of a soldier with PTSD. It was not just the soldier who suffered, but the entire family.

  Matthew is drinking a beer. When he puts his beer down, he tells Kim, “I always slept with a gun under my bed. I always got violent whenever I was startled. My wife pleaded with me to get help. I had no choice but to see a psychologist or our marriage would be over.”

  He laughed. “You’re not going to believe what that quack of a doctor told me. He said that I needed to put a toy gun under my bed. Then he gave me some sleeping pills and told me I could pay the receptionist out front.”

  Kim says, “Most of these doctors don’t know anything about it and parade around like they do.”

  Then Kim divulges more about his battle with PTSD. “I have had lots of nightmares that are so real about the war. It’s like I’m reliving it. I also have uncontrollable mood swings.”

  They pay the bill, and then Matthew and Kim head out the door together. They leave the darkened bar and walk into the sunlight. They shake hands, tell each other thank you, and walk away in different directions.

  The next morning, Kim talks to Joan again. He tells her that he has decided to move to the Orlando area. A few months later, Kim is headed to Orlando with Dino his beloved dog. Once again, Kim is embarking on another life changing journey.

  Chapter 23

  Passenger 57

  Kim arrives in Orlando and looks around for a while to find an area in which to live. He finally decides to buy a place in Groveland. It’s about thirty-one miles from Orlando’s film making and television studios.

  In 1992, Kim receives a long-distance phone call. It’s from Chet, who was one of Kim’s students at his stunt school in California. Chet asks Kim, “How is Orlando treating you?” Kim tells him, “It’s all good. I bought 80 acres of land in Groveland and then built my ranch.”

  Chet is stunned by his answer. He says, “Are you kidding me? Are you going to be a rancher? I can’t see you having cattle roaming on an open range and herds of cows grazing on pastures of land.”

  Kim laughs out-loud at Chet’s response. Then he replies, “I didn’t buy the land for those reasons. I do not want any cattle or cows. The property I bought is partly on swamp land.” Chet is confused by Kim’s answer and asks, “Why on earth would you want to buy 80 acres of swamp land?” Kim answers, “I got a good deal. It was a fraction of the cost of my place in Chatsworth. Chet interjects, “Of course you got a good deal! It is swamp land!

  Kim ignores Chet’s reaction and says, “I like living away from the hustle and bustle of Orlando.” Chet responds, “I understand that you want to live away from the city. But, what on earth are you going to do with swampland?” Kim tells him, “The land is located behind the citrus groves and there are only a few neighbors. It’s a perfect place for my new stunt school. Nobody will hear the loud explosions or the gun fire from my school. There isn’t any noise from crowded cities, so audio will be spot on for shooting. It’s also a good place for location shootings for film companies.”

  Chet smiles to himself, as he thinks, ‘Yup, Kim is crazy, all right. He’s crazy like a fox!’ He then tells Kim, “Oh, I get it now!” Then he asks Kim, “How is your school doing?” Kim tells him that it is doing good. People from all over the world are calling him and coming. He also mentions that he has a branch for the kids.”

  Chet says, that does not surprise me. “You’ve always enjoyed teaching kids.” Kim then says, “I’m doing more than that now. I’ve been working as the stunt coordinator on a tv show called “Guts. It’s being filmed at Nickelodeon and Universal Studios. It looks like I’ll also be the stunt director on future episodes.”

  Chet with an abundance of enthusiasm says, “My nephew, Brad is crazy about that show. He talks about it all the time. He wants to be a contestant and climb the big fake mountain.” Kim laughs and says, “All the kids want to be on it and get a piece of the rock. It’s a high-energy, and fun show to work on.”

  Kim goes on to say, “I hate to cut you off, but I have to go to the studio. I’m working on the film, Passenger 57. The film stars Wesley Snipes and Bruce Payne.” Then Chet asks, “If I come out there to check out the Hollywood East scene, can you put me up for a few weeks? I’ll make myself useful and earn my keep.” Kim responds. “It’s a done deal. “When you are ready to come, give me a call.”

  When Kim gets to the set, he checks in with Glen Wilder, the film’s stunt coordinator. They talk about the stunt work that will be performed today. Neither one of them notices a lovely blonde woman who is taking pictures of the set.

  While Wilder and Kim are talking, a few stuntmen walk over to them. Kim begins to shiver and then says to Wilder and the other stuntmen.

  “I don’t remember Florida ever being this cold,”

  At that moment, he spots a beautiful lady wearing a mini-skirt. He is thinking that she must be hot-blooded because no one would ever wear a mini-skirt in this freezing weather. He then contemplates the idea that she’s probably an actress, who was told by the wardrobe department to wear the skirt for the filming. Then when he looks at her legs, he feels like a lightning bolt has just hit him. He tells Wilder, “That lady has the most beautiful legs I’ve ever seen.”

  He asks the group of stuntmen if they know her. None of them have ever seen her before.

  Kim decides to walk over to her and introduce himself. He’s about to approach her, but two women get to her first. When the women leave, he’s ready to make his move, but it’s too late. He sees two men standing with this lady in a mini-skirt. They begin talking and laughing together.

  Then the lady strolls away, and Kim believes that this is his chance to meet her. He’s behind her and is heading in her direction. But a small group of people are walking towards her, and she waves to them. Then she stops to talk to them.

  Kim has to give up his pursuit to meet this beautiful lady when Wilder calls him over. He wants Kim to go to another location to do a stunt. Wilder tells him that he needs him to drive a bronze-colored car , which is parked
down the street, to another film location. Kim goes to security to get the car keys and then runs over to the parked car.

  In the meantime, the beautiful blonde is walking down the sidewalk. She cannot stand the bitter freezing weather any longer. As she walks along the street, she mumbles to herself, “God bless it, I’m freezing.” She opens the door of a parked car, sits in the back seat, and shuts the door. She figures she can sit in the car for a little while to get warm.

  She’s been sitting in the car for about five minutes when she hears someone yell, “That’s the right car! Go ahead and move it.” The woman looks up and sees a man racing towards the car.

  Kim gets in the car and sits behind the steering wheel. The lovely lady whispers to herself, “I don’t know this guy from a puff of smoke. I need to get out of here.”

  Kim puts his key in the ignition and starts the engine. He’s ready to speed off when he hears a woman’s voice coming from the backseat. She shouts, “Wait, don’t drive off!” Then in a softer voice, she adds, “I’m sorry that I got in your car. I just needed to get out of the cold for a few minutes. I’ll get out now.”

  She reaches for the door handle and is stunned to discover that there isn’t one. She glances at the other door and sees that it also does not have a door handle. She is trapped. She hollers at Kim, “I can’t get out of here! Your car has no door handles.”

  Kim turns around and is pleasantly surprised to see the beautiful lady in the mini-skirt sitting in the back seat. He thinks to himself that it must be fate.

  “It’s not my car,” he answers. “It’s an unmarked police officer’s car. It has no handles, so prisoners can’t escape.” Then, in a demanding tone, he asks, “Who are you?”

  “My name is Sandy Larson,” she answers. “I’m an actress and an extra on this film. I’m sorry, I got in this car. Will you please let me out?”

  Kim says, “I can’t do that! This car will be used in the next scene, which is at another location. I need to drive it there now, so you’ll be coming along for the ride.”

  “Who are you?” she wonders.

  Kim says, “My name is Kim Kahana, and I’m a stuntman. I’m playing the part of a drug lord on this film.” Then he tells her to hold on as he revs up the engine and speeds off to the next location.

  Kim arrives at the new location with Sandy in the backseat. He parks the car by where Wilder is standing. Wilder notices a woman in the backseat and recognizes that she’s the lady in the mini-skirt. He grins and nods his head to acknowledge that Kim found the woman he was determined to meet.

  Kim and Sandy talk for several minutes. He gives her his business card and tells her to mail him some of her composites and head shots. Then he says, “I’m going to Miami tomorrow morning and will be gone for a couple of days. Can I have your phone number? I’d like to call you sometime, and we can go out to lunch or dinner.”

  Sandy agrees, then takes out a pen and one of her business cards that are tailored to the acting profession. On the front of the card is her picture. Underneath the picture is her name and the titles of actress and model. On one side of the card is her talent agent’s name, address, and phone number. Sandy then writes her phone number on the back of one of her agent’s cards and gives it to Kim.

  A week later, Kim and Sandy talk on the phone. During their conversation, she tells him that she is in Orlando today, and she does not have a car. She rode with her friend from Clearwater to attend a FMPTA (Florida Motion Pictures and Television Association) meeting. Kim tells her that he will see her at the meeting. Then he says, “After the meeting, I’d like to take you out to dinner at the Red Lobster.” Sandy tells him that would be nice.

  They have a wonderful time during dinner that evening. Sandy thinks that Kim is such a gentleman. He opens the car door for her and treats her like a lady. After their date, he drives her back home to Clearwater. Every day that week he picks her up in Clearwater and brings her to his ranch.

  Then every night, he drives her back to Clearwater. However, his chivalry doesn’t last long. After a week of driving, he got tired of it. He told her that he wanted her to move in with him. That is what she did on Independence Day, July 4th, 1992.

  Several weeks later, Sandy develops the pictures she took on the set of Passenger 57. She is surprised to see that she had one picture of Kim with his back to the camera. She thought it was very strange or it was fate that she took a picture on the set with him in it. Then they met an hour later and now she’s his girlfriend.

  Chapter 24

  Sandy, Stunts and Press

  Sandy likes living at Kim’s ranch. There is never a dull moment. There are always many students learning and performing exciting stunts. Film companies also come out to his ranch to shoot a few scenes or an entire film. Others who visit are celebrities, producers, directors, stuntmen, and martial artists. There’s always many writers and reporters who come to interview him.

  In 1994, a few members of the National Geographic Magazine for Kids come out to his ranch. They are there to author a story about him and his stunt school. A few months later, he and his stunt school are featured in their magazine.

  In 1996, Teens Bay Area Connection, a multi-award winning, cable television series, conducts one long interview with Kim. The interviewer is a sixteen-year-old member of Teens Bay Area Connection. Kim has been interviewed about six hundred times, but this will be the first time that a teenager will conduct an interview with him.

  The interviewer begins by asking Kim about his roles as a stunt coordinator and stunt director on The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo TV series. The interviewer is impressed by Kim’s answers. He then shifts gears and jokingly asks, “When you aren’t performing dangerous stunts as a stuntman, do you ever get injuries like stepping on a nail or slipping in the tub?”

  Kim laughs and says, “I’m not superman. I’m human; of course, I do. In fact, I had one this morning. My dog, Dino, left a sharp-edged half-eaten bone on the rug close by my bed. I didn’t see it when I woke up and ended up with a bruised toe.”

  The interviewer replies, “Ouch. I bet that hurt, but that’s not too bad. Did you ever have a more severe injury when you weren’t performing a stunt?”

  Kim becomes quiet for a moment before he answers. Then he says, “One time I was on a big plane with about one hundred and twenty passengers on it. We were headed to Texas. The plane crashed, and thirty-four passengers died. I walked out of that plane with two broken arms. After the crash, I had a cast on each of my arms.”

  The young interviewer is shocked. He says, “You suffered two broken arms? That is a bad, bad injury.”

  Kim responds, “Not compared to dying, like many of the other passengers did.”

  The interviewer excitedly blurts out, “You dodged a bullet. You must have had somebody up there watching over you!”

  Kim slowly responds, “Maybe I did. I don’t know.”

  The interviewer regains his composure and quickly says, “You’ve done a lot of dangerous, death-defying stunts. Why do you think you beat all the odds and are still alive?”

  Kim looks straight into the interviewer’s eyes. “You want to know why I’m still alive?” he challenges. “It is because I am afraid all the time. Anyone can learn to leap thirty feet from a tower, but the real question is, who can do it safely? I am obsessed with following safety procedures. If I wasn’t, I would have been dead years ago.”

  After the interview, the producers of Teens Bay Area Connection ask Kim if they can take a tour of his stunt school next month. Kim says yes and that he’ll also teach them some stunts. When the kids hear this, they shout, “Hurrah!” in unison.

  A month later, TBC producers and the teenage students arrive at Kahana’s Stunt School. Sandy greets them and tells them that Kim is the stunt coordinator on an upcoming commercial. She tells them that he is with his stuntmen over by the motorcycles. Then she asks them. “Do you want to follow me over there to watch them?” They all say, “yes.”

  The students wat
ch Kim set up the stunt and then escape on his motorcycle from a fiery explosion. Then they watch as another stuntman jumps from a trampoline and leaps onto the roof of a speeding car.

  Then Kim takes them on a tour of his stunt school. He asks them, “Who wants to try to leap from the high-tower?” They all want to do it. They spend the next few hours learning to jump from the high-tower. When it’s time for them to leave, they cannot stop talking about the awesome day that they had.

  Kim continues to do films and worthwhile educational projects that help kids. Avid Communications contracted him to be their stunt coordinator of a mock crash in “Graduation DUI” for the Cook County Sheriff’s Department in Chicago. Many other producers from all over the country call Kim to be the stunt coordinator on similar types of films that strive to make a difference and educate the young.

  Kim is busier than ever with his school, movies, tv shows, commercials, seminars, and location shootings at his ranch. In 2001, he and Sandy finish the film, Jeepers Creepers. Kim is now looking forward to his two-day seminar with his friend, Yamishita.

  Five months later, Kim receives some sad news. His mentor and good friend, Freddie Letuli died on July 22,2003. When Freddie returned to American Samoa, he became the Assistant Director of Tourism. He was also a Senator in the Legislature of American Samoa and an Associate Judge in their High Court. Kim is mourning his death, but he is also grateful that he was a small part of Freddie’s life.

  Then in January 2005, Kim gets a phone call from Zig Zag Productions. It’s a reality TV production company in London. They want to shoot a teaser for a reality television show about Kim and the Kahana family. Kim agrees to their terms.

  Then Zig Zag Production’s staff and crew take a plane from London to Kim’s ranch. The production company films him and his stunt school. When the filming is finished, the production company, along with Kim, and Sandy fly to Los Angeles. When the production company arrives in L.A. they go to Kim’s son’s home and film Kim and his kids: Tony, Rick, and Kim Kahana Junior, who are all renowned stuntmen.