You’ve Got the Power, a new half hour television show about Hawaii’s most inspirational people, will air Saturday, 6 p.m. on KGMB TV (CBS).
The show, created by Hawaii Reporter co-founder Malia Zimmerman, features three remarkable people who have overcome tremendous challenges to be successful and then go on to help others.
RICH JULIAN is a volunteer with the Rehab Hospital of the Pacific and his wife, Kate Church Julian, is a therapist there.
Rich suffered an unimaginable tragedy at age 14, when a drunk driver nearly took his life and killed his sister and his girlfriend. His parents and brother watched powerlessly and the driver slammed into the teens at 65 miles per hour on the sidewalk adjacent to Kalanianaole Highway.
An avid waterman and athlete, he was determined not to let his injuries that put him in a wheel chair keep him from the athletic activities he loved. He went through an extensive rehabilitation at the Rehab Hospital of the Pacific as a teen.
Now he helps children and adults with disabilities fulfill their passion in the outdoors through his non profit, AccesSurf, and his wheelchair athlete canoe paddling team, Pure Light.
This is in addition to his work at the Rehab Hospital of the Pacific where he counsels patients who have spinal cord injuries.
Rich and his wife Kate have an incredibly powerful love story. They also help many patients realize they can have a normal life after a spinal cord injury even if are in a wheelchair.
DOMINIC AHUNA’s father was always by his side, so when his father died suddenly at age 46, Dominic was struck deeply by the loss.
At age 19, and for several years that followed, he faced some extremely dark times, but though his faith and belief in God, Dominic was able to replace anger with love, and fear with trust.
Now he uses his experiences and faith to help many others in Hawaii and throughout the world.
He runs the Fellowship of Christian Athletes program at Iolani School, where he is the strength and conditioning coach.
He also is a world champion weight lifter.
DANA VENNEN turned to the horses she loved to bring her comfort and joy when she faced trying times in her youth.
Now she’s helping hundreds of kids at the Therapeutic Horsemanship Center of Hawaii find happiness and health through horseback riding lessons and horse riding therapy.
But before she could help anyone else, she had to save the center from closing. She took over the center as a volunteer with just two horses and three students when the lady running it abandoned the center.
Dana now has 12 horses and hundreds of students both with – and without – disabilities.
Her students said Dana is kind, gentle and wonderful therapist who has helped them with physical problems but also has built their confidence in themselves.
Malia Zimmerman, Irma Baptiste and Shaunna Touchi of Luminescent Productions LLC produce the show.
Dean Kaneshiro is the director, videographer and editor, and Peter Fowler is a videographer as well.
The show’s sponsors include Winners’ Camp, Charley’s Taxi, HMAA, E & J Lounge Operating Co., Rehab Hospital of the Pacific and the Jackson family.
To nominate inspirational people for future shows who have overcome tremendous odds to be successful and go on to help many others, email Malia at MaliaMZimmerman@gmail.com or log onto Showyourpower.com