Michael and Marianne Madoff, the parents of the teen Tyler Madoff who was swept away by a wave at Kealakekua Bay on July 4, appear this morning, Wednesday, on the Today Show at 7:39 a.m. Today is on the local NBC Affiliate, KHNL 8.
The segment has far more detail about the tragic accident than previously released by police reports.
While police reports spoke of the one young man swept into the ocean with Tyler, members of the local tour group Hawaii Pack and Paddle, contracted by the organizer of the tour group, said there were several teens at risk. Apparently, the leader of the tour group Bold Earth Teen Adventures decided to take the teens on the expedition on a hike near the Ka’awaloa Lighthouse, in a rocky, rough area. There were high surf warnings, and the Hawaii Pack and Paddle tour leader said they told the Bold Earth team not to take the kids on a hike in the area. A huge wave swept the teens towards and into the ocean. Teen Matthew Alzate is still in Queens Medical Center in Honolulu, now in good condition though as he says in the segment, “When I came in, I understand I was almost dead.”
During a media interview here on Hawaii Island, the Madoffs accused Bold Earth tour leader Andrew Mork of lying. On the Today Show, Michael Madoff goes into more detail about Mork’s statements to the Coast Guard, to him the day after the accident, and statements he made once the Madoffs arrived. In a written statement shared with the Today Show, Bold Earth owner blamed the local tour group, Hawaii Pack and Paddle, for the incident.
The Madoffs praised Malia Louis of VASH, Visitor Aloha Society Hawaii, for her kindness, compassion, and assistance.
See the Today Show segment: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/48145469#48145469
