Meet Shawn Hunadi

Thursday, October 26th – a day that changed Shawn Hunadi’s life drastically. Shawn was involved in a moped accident near his home on Kauai and found unconscious on the road with no recollection of what happened. Shawn suffered critical injuries including multiple broken ribs, a collapsed lung and more seriously a massive brain injury. 

Shawn was immediately taken to a nearby hospital but staff there soon determined they could not sustain his life. He was then medevaced to Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu for Care where he received an emergency craniotomy for bleeding all over his brain as well as several other procedures to keep him alive. 

Soon after arriving at Queen's, Shawn’s doctors were a bit pessimistic and told his family to sign the DNR. He supposedly wasn’t going to make it and his organs were shutting down. Shawn’s sister, Keri, said “I knew in that moment it wasn’t true.” She mentioned that “we then watched my brother go through miracle after miracle. He made miraculous strides much faster than predicted and continues to do so.”

Shawn stayed on Oahu for about two months until he was medically stable while also enduring dialysis for a month all while being in a coma that was caused by his brain injury. 

During his time on Oahu, Shawn was in a coma caused by his brain injury while also enduring dialysis to keep his kidneys functioning, amid all other treatments to keep him alive. After about two months once he was medically stable he was medevaced to Craig Hospital in Colorado, an acute rehab center. Shawn was able to make massive strides such as muttering some words, pedaling on a bike and walking with an assisted robot. Shawn remained there for the first few months of the year until he started appearing sleepy and not responding well to therapy. Shawn’s doctors did a CT scan revealing he had Hydrocephalus in which he had a shunt placed to relieve the fluid buildup. Shortly after, Shawn’s insurance thought it would be best he be transferred from Craig Hospital to somewhere he could rest. 

Once Shawn left Craig he was transferred to a respiratory rehab facility in Los Angeles where he only lasted 3 weeks as this wasn’t the care he needed. Fortunately, this forced him to transfer to a place closer to family in Oxnard. Unfortunately, shortly after his arrival he had a mishap with his feeding tube that caused aspirated pneumonia. After a few days in the hospital, Shawn was fixed, sent back to the facility and is doing better. 

Since being back in California, where Shawn actually grew up, he is starting to be more alert again. He has been talking more and even been able to express some of his needs and ask questions, albeit inconsistently. He is confused but has moments of clarity. 

Shawn with his family — his wife Angela, his son Luke and his daughter Ella

While Shawn’s siblings, parents and daughter live in California where he grew up, his wife and son still reside on Kauai. Prior to his accident, Shawn ran a small bike shop on the south shore of Kauai. Shawn’s wife, Angela, on the other hand is a nurse who is the insurance holder of the house. Through all of this Angela continues to work, keep Shawn’s business alive all while commuting back and forth from the islands and the mainland every other week to ensure she works to keep her insurance but also be there to support her husband.

While Shawn and his family have already received a tremendous amount of support financially and emotionally they still have a long road to recovery. This has and will take a tremendous toll on them. 

We are beyond honored to announce Shawn Hunadi as a recipient for our 7th Annual Crawfish Boil. From The Jewel Levine Foundation and the Hunadi family, Mahalo and God Bless!