{"id":1858,"date":"2023-05-12T04:00:18","date_gmt":"2023-05-12T04:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/?p=1858"},"modified":"2023-05-13T03:09:45","modified_gmt":"2023-05-13T03:09:45","slug":"a-mother-reflects-on-loss-and-mourning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/a-mother-reflects-on-loss-and-mourning\/","title":{"rendered":"A Mother Reflects on Loss and Mourning"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"1858\" class=\"elementor elementor-1858\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-39f11f5 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"39f11f5\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-aae5253\" data-id=\"aae5253\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a676426 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a676426\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>As a young mother, Esther Lau was blessed first with a son, Travis, and then with a daughter, Emily, and she looks back at the times when they were toddlers with fond and loving memories. Life came with the normal challenges of raising a family but as brother and sister grew older they played well together and eventually did more together.<\/p><p><span style=\"letter-spacing: 0px\">When Travis was a young boy, Esther asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up and he said he wanted to become a doctor. \u201c\u2018What else is there?\u201d\u2019 is what he said,\u201d Esther remembered. \u201cHe was very strong in science and math so medicine was the natural fit.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"letter-spacing: 0px\">Travis was also athletic, very likely because of his mother\u2019s influence. She described herself as a \u201cgym rat, but not a full on gym rat, but more than average.\u201d At \u2018Iolani School, Travis played varsity tennis and qualified for the state tennis tournament in his senior year. Esther reflects back to all of the tennis matches, school events, and activities as great, lifetime memories and moments she spent as a mother cheering for her son. Travis also ran cross country and eventually took up free diving and golf.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-88f7f3e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"88f7f3e\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-fc3fcf2\" data-id=\"fc3fcf2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-67b6c62 elementor-widget elementor-widget-gallery\" data-id=\"67b6c62\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;columns&quot;:&quot;3&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;9:16&quot;,&quot;lazyload&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;gallery_layout&quot;:&quot;grid&quot;,&quot;columns_tablet&quot;:2,&quot;columns_mobile&quot;:1,&quot;gap&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;gap_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;gap_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;link_to&quot;:&quot;file&quot;,&quot;overlay_background&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;content_hover_animation&quot;:&quot;fade-in&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"gallery.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery__container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2023\/05\/Travis-Lau-iolani-track.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"67b6c62\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Travis Iolani Cross Country Team, Junior Year.\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTg2MCwidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL21hZGQub3JnXC9oYXdhaWlcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcL3NpdGVzXC8yMVwvMjAyM1wvMDVcL1RyYXZpcy1MYXUtaW9sYW5pLXRyYWNrLmpwZyIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6IjY3YjZjNjIifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2023\/05\/Travis-Lau-iolani-track.jpg\" data-width=\"539\" data-height=\"684\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2023\/05\/Travis-Lau-running-blue-shirt-cropped.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"67b6c62\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Travis loved to run.\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTg2NCwidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL21hZGQub3JnXC9oYXdhaWlcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcL3NpdGVzXC8yMVwvMjAyM1wvMDVcL1RyYXZpcy1MYXUtcnVubmluZy1ibHVlLXNoaXJ0LWNyb3BwZWQuanBnIiwic2xpZGVzaG93IjoiNjdiNmM2MiJ9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2023\/05\/Travis-Lau-running-blue-shirt-cropped.jpg\" data-width=\"587\" data-height=\"883\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2023\/05\/Travis-Lau-running-poster-cropped.jpeg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"67b6c62\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Travis still running!\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTg2NywidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL21hZGQub3JnXC9oYXdhaWlcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcL3NpdGVzXC8yMVwvMjAyM1wvMDVcL1RyYXZpcy1MYXUtcnVubmluZy1wb3N0ZXItY3JvcHBlZC5qcGVnIiwic2xpZGVzaG93IjoiNjdiNmM2MiJ9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2023\/05\/Travis-Lau-running-poster-cropped.jpeg\" data-width=\"170\" data-height=\"129\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-83976b4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"83976b4\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1d5fd1c\" data-id=\"1d5fd1c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-12aff31 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"12aff31\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>After completing both medical school and residency at Tufts, he continued his training as a cardiothoracic anesthesiology fellow at The Cleveland Clinic. In 2011, he returned to Hawaii to join Pacific Anesthesiology Services and served on numerous quality committees. He was a trailblazer, setting national standards for blood usage in open heart surgery and advocated for patient safety-first policies. At all of his graduation ceremonies, whether for \u2018Iolani or Tufts, Esther and her husband William recall the pride and joy they felt for all he had accomplished<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4075b03 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4075b03\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5750c91\" data-id=\"5750c91\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2a59f47 elementor-widget elementor-widget-gallery\" data-id=\"2a59f47\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;columns&quot;:&quot;2&quot;,&quot;aspect_ratio&quot;:&quot;4:3&quot;,&quot;lazyload&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;gallery_layout&quot;:&quot;grid&quot;,&quot;columns_tablet&quot;:2,&quot;columns_mobile&quot;:1,&quot;gap&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;gap_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;gap_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;link_to&quot;:&quot;file&quot;,&quot;overlay_background&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;content_hover_animation&quot;:&quot;fade-in&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"gallery.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery__container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2023\/05\/Travis-Lau-and-mom.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"2a59f47\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Travis&#039;s High School Graduation from Iolani with his Mom.\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTg1OSwidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL21hZGQub3JnXC9oYXdhaWlcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcL3NpdGVzXC8yMVwvMjAyM1wvMDVcL1RyYXZpcy1MYXUtYW5kLW1vbS5qcGciLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiIyYTU5ZjQ3In0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2023\/05\/Travis-Lau-and-mom-300x300.jpg\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"300\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2023\/05\/Travis-Lau-mom-sister-med-school-grad.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"2a59f47\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Esther, Dr. Travis Lau, and Emily -- graduation from medical school.\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTg2MywidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL21hZGQub3JnXC9oYXdhaWlcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcL3NpdGVzXC8yMVwvMjAyM1wvMDVcL1RyYXZpcy1MYXUtbW9tLXNpc3Rlci1tZWQtc2Nob29sLWdyYWQuanBnIiwic2xpZGVzaG93IjoiMmE1OWY0NyJ9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2023\/05\/Travis-Lau-mom-sister-med-school-grad-300x300.jpg\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"300\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2023\/05\/Travis-Lau-melissa-pup.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"2a59f47\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Travis and his wife Melissa.\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTg2NSwidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL21hZGQub3JnXC9oYXdhaWlcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcL3NpdGVzXC8yMVwvMjAyM1wvMDVcL1RyYXZpcy1MYXUtbWVsaXNzYS1wdXAuanBnIiwic2xpZGVzaG93IjoiMmE1OWY0NyJ9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2023\/05\/Travis-Lau-melissa-pup-300x169.jpg\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"169\" aria-label=\"Travis and his wife Melissa.\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2023\/05\/Travis-Lau-melissa-marthon-cropped.jpg\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"2a59f47\" data-elementor-lightbox-title=\"Travis and Melissa Lau\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTg2NiwidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6XC9cL21hZGQub3JnXC9oYXdhaWlcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcL3VwbG9hZHNcL3NpdGVzXC8yMVwvMjAyM1wvMDVcL1RyYXZpcy1MYXUtbWVsaXNzYS1tYXJ0aG9uLWNyb3BwZWQuanBnIiwic2xpZGVzaG93IjoiMmE1OWY0NyJ9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2023\/05\/Travis-Lau-melissa-marthon-cropped.jpg\" data-width=\"164\" data-height=\"241\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1c43dc4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1c43dc4\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c9afd66\" data-id=\"c9afd66\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1d045b9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1d045b9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Travis\u2019s personal life was also blossoming. He married his wife, Melissa, in Hawaii and Esther recalled that the wedding was another proud milestone as the Lau family gained a daughter-in-law. Travis and his sister, Emily, were in their thirties and becoming even closer as adult siblings.\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"letter-spacing: 0px\">But when Travis was 39, he was killed by a drunk driver.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"letter-spacing: 0px\">On January 28, 2019, while waiting on the sidewalk for the light to change before crossing Ala Moana Boulevard, an intoxicated driver of a truck plowed into the pedestrians, killing Travis and 2 others, who were both tourists, seriously injuring 4 and injuring a few others. Travis had gone for a run, training for the Huntington Beach Marathon.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"letter-spacing: 0px\">Pain and emptiness have permeated every day for Esther since then. Mother\u2019s Day is especially painful. When Esther was 24, she lost her own mother who was a victim of a drunk driver.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"letter-spacing: 0px\">Because Esther and her family were not allowed to see the investigation photos after Travis\u2019s death, they have not found the closure they need.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"letter-spacing: 0px\">\u201cMother\u2019s Day is hard,\u201d Esther said. \u201cWe never got a chance to see him after the car crash. It was advised that we not view his body because he had so much damage to his facial structure. I wish I could have had the chance to hold him in my arms one more time. We never got a chance to say goodbye and it\u2019s been really hard for all of us.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"letter-spacing: 0px\">The Laus established a scholarship in Travis\u2019s name at \u2018Iolani School as a way to continue his legacy and they are also involved and supportive of MADD Hawaii. Esther, her family, and Melissa participate in sign-waving events, and sobriety checkpoints, and join hundreds of others at the annual Walk Like MADD each September at Kaka\u2019ako Waterfront Park.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"letter-spacing: 0px\">Esther also takes some solace in knowing that Travis is now with her father, who passed away while he was in his 80s.\u00a0 When she traveled to Bhutan in 2019, she had a vision that they were together. The vision came on the 49th day after Travis\u2019s death, which is a significant day for Buddhist mourning. \u201cThen I knew that he was in a good place,\u201d Esther said.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-73ef588 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"73ef588\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d570a78\" data-id=\"d570a78\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b1d1542 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"b1d1542\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"616\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2023\/05\/Travis-Lau-dr-jacket.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1862\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2023\/05\/Travis-Lau-dr-jacket.jpg 616w, https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2023\/05\/Travis-Lau-dr-jacket-257x300.jpg 257w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 616px) 100vw, 616px\" style=\"width:100%;height:116.88%;max-width:616px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Dr. Travis Lau, 8\/17\/1979 - 1\/28\/2019<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As a young mother, Esther Lau was blessed first with a son, Travis, and then with a daughter, Emily, and she looks back at the times when they were toddlers&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/madd.org\/hawaii\/a-mother-reflects-on-loss-and-mourning\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">A Mother Reflects on Loss and Mourning<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":1859,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1858","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-victim-stories","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.7 - 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