VIDEO – NEVER TOO OLD TO SOBER UP –
Feb. 7, 2023 – He’s the voice many Hawaii Islanders have known and loved since 1979. Even when DJ Kahikina – real name Tommy Ching, and formerly called The Polynesian Pirate – hasn’t been working on air, he’s consistently been a voice at many community events. “I’ve been working with the Hawaii Island Food Basket since 2000. Even though I left radio, they said, ‘You can’t stop helping us!’ I help so many. I did the Kupuna Hula Festival for over 20 years, supporting senior citizens. I do a lot for the seniors here,” he shared.
Loud and likeable, Ching has long been the life of the party, but behind his hyper-positive public persona, there was pain and struggle.
“I was a functional alcoholic. I was having a tough time five years ago in my marriage and decided I needed to change things. One of those issues was alcohol.” he revealed.
