Obama Visits Late Mother's Resting Place
(HONOLULU) On the last day of his vacation, Barack Obama took time to pay his respects to his late mother, Ann Dunham.
Accompanied by two of his former Punahou School classmates, Obama walked down to the cliffs near Halona Blowhole to visit the spot where her ashes were scattered. He dropped flower petals from a white lei into the ocean as waves rose out of the water.
In an interview with the Associated Press last year, Obama said his most prized possession was a photograph of the cliffs where his mother's ashes were scattered.
Ann Dunham passed away in 1995 after battling ovarian cancer, and lived in Indonesia for many years. Obama and his sister Maya placed her ashes into the ocean from the South Shore cliffs, sending them in the direction of Indonesia. Obama often speaks of his mother's illness on the campaign tail, particularly when discussing his health care plan.
Earlier in the day, Obama took his daughters snorkeling at Hanamua Bay and went bodysurfing at Sandy Beach Park. He spent much of his teen age years body surfing at Sandy Beach, and it is said that this is one of his favorite spots on Oahu.