Vietnam War veteran from Hilo who died of COVID-19 to be honored | Event Link Credit Courtesy of the Tomita family
Last year, 27 lives were claimed by a COVID-19 outbreak at the Yukio Okutsu State Veteran’s Home in Hilo. Among them was Melvin “Mike” Tomita, the sixth resident to die of the virus. Tomita's family remembers him as a generous cook, who loved talking story and playing music. The decorated Vietnam War veteran's story will be part of a National Day of Remembrance event tomorrow, honoring nursing home lives lost during this pandemic. Listen