Kaleo grew up in Palisades (upper Pearl City) and knew Chris and Mike basically his entire life. Kaleo's mother was actually Chris and Mike's pre-school and kindergarten teacher and both families essentially merged with the boys spending practically their entire childhood together. Coming from a large family with many brothers and sisters, Kaleo was one of the youngest siblings. To find time away from everyone, he enjoyed drawing as a youth which he trained himself to be an incredible artist. Kaleo, while being bred as a soccer player in his youth, moved to wrestling and football at Pearl City High School where he graduated. It was football and wrestling which Kaleo used fuel his competitive drive and where he found his love for grappling. Kaleo and his "calabash cousin" Mike started Relson
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu together in January 1992 at the University of
Hawaii at Manoa Gym 4 which was the birthplace of the explosion
of Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in Hawaii. Kaleo utilized his athletic
prowess and God given size and adapted to the more finess game
of Jiu-Jitsu very quickly. Kaleo competed in numerous Jiu-Jitsu
competitions and enjoys competing. He looked for every opportunity
to continue studying with Relson even though he had to fight
through major injuries like knee surgery which sidelined many
Jiu-Jitsu careers. Kaleo had the dedication to rehab his injuries
and get back on the mat as soon as he could. |