Aiea Student With Cancer Dies After Fulfilling Dream

HONOLULU -- A 17-year-old Aiea student who fulfilled a dream by graduating last month died over the weekend after succumbing to leukemia.

Andrew Sato died on Saturday.

Aiea High School officials held a special graduation for Sato on Feb. 5. The senior class and his foster mother attended.

"The culminating event is graduation. So after graduation the class gets tighter and then they'd never see each other again. He brought the class together. I don't know if the kids realize the gift he gave to them," Aiea school counselor Ben Shimabuku said. "He brought them all in, they were all in, they were all together, united for that one cause."

Several students have requested counseling sessions since the announcement was made to the school on Monday morning, Shimabuku said.

His father died of cancer when he was young, and his mother was a drug abuser who abandoned him.

He finally ended up with a foster mother who became his legal guardian and the woman who he called "Mom."

At his graduation, he talked about going to college and perhaps becoming a chef.

Kapiolani Community College's culinary school invited Sato to attend a class and learn more about cooking. However, Sato was unable to go. The illness had advanced.