Graduating from high school is a major milestone, but for a high school student in Oahu, Hawaii, it was a hard-fought achievement.
Eric Schultz graduated from high school at 18 after years of homelessness. Schultz earned his diploma from Waianae High School, where he celebrated the big day with his peers and supportive community.
“I was so grateful to just walk to the stage and grab my diploma,” Schultz told WBRC News. “I was gonna cry, but I just held it in, and I just walked the stage.”
Overcoming years of homelessness
Schultz’s journey with homelessness began when he was 15 as his parents battled addiction.
“I was living in my car for almost about a year, and I was still going to school at the same time,” he previously told Hawaii News Now. “It didn’t change my view on anything. I just kept working toward my goal to graduate.”
According to WBRC News, the latest Point-in-Time count found 802 homeless minors on Oahu, including Schultz.
Back in February 2026, he spoke about seeing other families effected by homelessness at a donation giveaway. He shared, “Seeing all these kids out here today, it’s just hurtful, hurts me.”
In a May interview with Hawaii News Now, he shared, “I am still at the transitioning home up in Kahumana Farms. It is called RYSE. I couldn’t find a guardian that could take care of me that was blood-related because everything has to be blood.”
His hanai auntie stepped up
Schultz had lots of support from his local community, especially from a woman named Desiree Adams. Adams shared with WBRC News that Schultz reached out to her for help and food, and she quickly decided to become one of his “hanai aunties” to support him along the way.
According to the University of Hawaii at Hilo, “hanai” is the “Hawaiian word for adoption… its derivation meaning to feed or nourish. Hanai, as it was traditionally practiced in Hawaiian culture, referred to the situation where a child was taken permanently to be reared, educated, and loved by someone other than natural parents, usually grandparents or other relatives.”
“He used to come over a lot because he was hungry and he didn’t have any food to eat,” Adams said. She shared that Schultz lived with her family for over a year, so long as he followed her rules and curfew.
“He said, ‘Will you help me? Will you help me go back to school?’ And so we took him back to school, got the paperwork, worked with his parents,” she added. “His parents were very supportive of me helping him.”
Her support undeniably helped Schultz make it to graduation.
“He thanks me a lot, but I said I don’t want any credit for this accomplishment,” Adams said. “You made the choice to change, and you made the choice to set your goals and follow your goals.”
Schultz shares his future plans
After graduating, Schultz said he planned to attend trade school for plumbing. He also said he would keep helping his community and others struggling with homelessness in his area.
At the time of the interview, he was living at a transitional shelter operated by Residential Youth Services and Empowerment in Oahu.
“I hope my story can touch other people to go out at their schools to help find funding, or stuff to help out the community. Anything to help out,” he said.
This article originally appeared in May. It has been updated.
