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In memory of

Kim Alan Gravelle

Honolulu, Hi

1941 - April 4, 2021

1941 - Apr 4, 2021

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KIM GRAVELLE
1941 - 2021

Kim Gravelle, author and photo-journalist, whose articles and books reflected his deep love for the Fiji Islands and its people, died on Easter Sunday 2021 in a Honolulu Hospital.

Adventurer, explorer, artist, photographer, writer, husband, father and friend, Kim lived his action packed life with joy and gusto, doing what he truly loved, but this was tragically interrupted when he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), which was eventually the cause of his death.

Originally from Michigan, (or the land of the “shoveling snow” as he called it) and following his graduation at Central Michigan University, Kim turned to the open road touring Europe for six months, the beginning of a life of adventure that took him to Australia and Papua New Guinea and finally set him down in Fiji.

In l974, Kim moved to Suva and joined the Fiji Sun as its features editor.
It was the turning point in his career. It was his first opportunity to fully utilize his skills that for the next fifteen years provided a unique perspective of life in the islands in his feature writing, photography and books.

Initially he was employed by the Fiji Sun, but his work included articles for the Fiji Times, in-flight and consumer magazines, and over a 10 year period, the production of three best selling books. He even launched his own company, Graphic Inc. The list is extensive but the results were the same: consistent, quality, fun, his own tongue-in-cheek humour, and his exceptional ability to capture his subject in clear, sharp reality.

And it is important to note that many of these stories have been captured in his best selling books published by the Fiji Times: Fiji’s Heritage: History of Fiji: the Fiji Explorers Handbook; Rotuma, and Romancing the Islands – where, among his best stories, and often mentioned, is “In The Wake of Bligh”, about Verity and the Bounty.

Kim met Bill Verity in a pub in Suva. Verity an “ol’ sea salt” out of the United States had a large imagination and some (including Gravelle), wondered if he had a death wish. He had proposed to his sponsors to fund a journey in an exact replica of the Bounty’s 23 foot launch that would mirror the 1789 journey that Captain Bligh and his small crew were forced to take from Tonga to Timor, a journey of 4,000 kilometres. This following a mutiny on board Bligh’s ship, the Bounty. The mutiny is often blamed on the beauty of the Tahitian girls. But that’s another story.

Those who knew Kim understood that this was an opportunity not to be ignored. It involved adventure and it involved risks. He accepted Verity’s invitation to join as his only crew for the voyage. He lasted four days. But it was classic story that in the telling encapsulates the best of Kim. For those interested, Verity completed the voyage and has returned to New York.

The move to Suva also changed his life. Living in his first home, a houseboat anchored in the Bay of Islands offshore from the Tradewinds Hotel that he said looked like a turtle and that he aptly named the Carapace.

He embraced Fiji, which he described “as a lush, warm, exquisite tropical country, filled with some of the kindest people on earth.” For the first time in his years of travel he had found his home.

It may suggest that Kim’s life was all work and no play. And in fact when asked to comment on the stress associated with chasing stories he replied, “Stress? This is fun, I have purposefully been on holiday for 30 years.”

Combining the chase for the story, visits to Tahiti, the Solomons, Papua New Guinea and the multitude of other South Pacific destinations big and small, with his activities in Fiji; Morris Dancing, white water rafting, cave exploring, trekking around the country, grog sessions, it would have been difficult to separate where the holiday began and the work cut in.

But this was all about to change.

In the late 1980s Kim was diagnosed with ALS. Being incredibly stubborn and brave he refused to succumb to his weakening muscles. Work was no longer a holiday. It became a challenge.

By the mid-1990 the disease had advanced and Kim found himself in a wheelchair. Both Sisi and Kim agreed that they needed advanced care and so left for Hawaii. It was the beginning of an incredible journey of survival, love and commitment.

In the years to come Kim and his physiotherapist shared an exercise program in the pool. But with Kim and Sisi it was healthy food, and opportunities to explore the world, including Europe and Eastern Europe, overseas trip to amazing destinations, and yearly visits to Fiji to see friends and family.

Life expectancy for those with ALS is at most five years. We are forever grateful to Kim and Sisi for letting us enjoy his company for another 30.

He once said that all he always sought was a simpler lifestyle, without traffic and crowds. “I’m totally happy in a village, sitting cross-legged and having a bowl of grog.” Enjoy your grog Kim. May you rest in peace.

KIm is survived by his wife, son and daughter as well as two grandchildren.

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