Quotes about Brandt Honda

Now Honda is officially part of the Warriors' family as the hanai son of assistant coach Rich Miano and Lori Bennett.
About how he moved to Hawaii from Australia 3 weeks ago to live with Rich Miano, Lori Bennett, and their 7-year-old son Kupa'a, Brandt Honda said:
"I really love it here." (HA)


About how he met Brandt when he was the guest of honor for the Gridiron National Championship festivities in Australia in the spring, RM said:
"The kid was so amazed at Colt Brennan and Hawai'i football." (HA)

HA Note: "Honda also became good friends with Kupa'a. Honda expressed a strong interest in moving to Hawai'i. At the end of the 10-day trip, an improbable idea was hatched: Would Honda like to live with Miano and Bennett in Hawai'i?"


About Brandt coming to live with them, Bennett said:
"He comes from a big family. The family wanted to give him more opportunities by having him live with us." (HA)


About Brandt coming to live with them, RM said:
"I thought there's no way this 12-year-old is going to leave his family, his six siblings, and come to Hawai'i with us. They're very strong in the Mormon faith. The next thing I know is he's on a plane and living with the Mianos. We're very excited to have him." (HA)

HA Note: "Honda, who was wearing a San Diego Chargers' jersey yesterday, and Kupa'a are inseparable, attending every UH practice. They will attend the same private school in Kaimuki this year."


Bennett said that they and the Hondas have joint custody:
"They have legal, we have physical." (HA)


About how the plan is that Brandt will live with them through high school, RM said:
"My little guy, lights up our lives. But there are times you wish he had a sibling. Maybe that will happen sometime soon. But in the interim, he enjoys having an older brother who has the same likes as he does, which is education and sports. It's wonderful. The little guy has a lot of friends in the neighborhood, but it's good to have somebody he can be around." (HA)


Brandt says that the only drawback for Hawaii is that the summer weather is:
"a lot hotter than in Australia." (HA)

Note: That is one of the reasons that my wife Lori won't move from San Diego to Hawaii...


About Brandt's unusual love for Warrior football from Australia, RM said:
"In Australia, football is not even on the radar. But for some reason, this family loves Hawai'i football. His family wanted this opportunity to be around (UH football) and go to school in Hawai'i." (HA)


RM said that Brandt is a:
"smart kid. It's a wonderful opportunity for my son to have a big brother to learn from and go to football games with." (HA)


About how Kupa'a and Brandt get along so well already, RM said:
"So far they get along. They'll fight like brothers eventually. But that in itself is a learning experience: to share and not be jealous of what other people have, and all of those other things you learn in life by having brothers and sisters." (HA)