Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim has checked out of the hospital and will return home to Hilo today, after undergoing procedures at The Queen’s Medical Center.
The mayor was discharged Friday evening and stayed in Honolulu with his wife over the weekend. He returns to Hilo today, but his family is requesting that he be allowed to come home without fanfare.
“Harry informed me that he was getting some personal time in Honolulu with his wife,” said Wil Okabe, the county’s managing director, who is serving as acting mayor while Kim is on sick leave. “The family wants to give him a chance to come home quietly so he can rest.”
Kim experienced heart attack symptoms early Thursday, checked himself in to Hilo Medical Center and subsequently was medevaced to Oahu. At The Queen’s Medical Center, the mayor underwent tests and procedures to alleviate his symptoms.
“We thank Hilo Medical and Queen’s for taking such good care of Harry,” Okabe said. “We’re also very grateful to Sen. (Mazie) Hirono, Gov. (David) Ige, Mayor (Kirk) Caldwell and Mayor (Bernard) Carvalho for their expressions of aloha and well wishes to Harry.”
“We want to thank the hundreds of people from all over the state who reached out with messages of love and concern by phone, email, social media and get-well cards,” Okabe said.
Kim and his family have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of aloha, and the county thanks everyone for their continued support and prayers for the mayor’s speedy recovery, Okabe said.