Once ‘most wanted’ criminals, they’re now hoping others learn from their mistakes

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - They were once among Hawaii’s “most wanted” criminals.

Now these two former meth addicts are openly talking about how drugs and crime ruined their lives. They hope to prevent Hawaii’s youth from making the same devastating mistakes.

Kyle Quilausing, of Hilo, went from being a promising state golf champion who competed against a young Tiger Woods to a one-man crime wave.

“Crystal meth had a grip on me and it wasn’t ever going to let go,” he said.

“When I was growing up golfing, I was all over the news but this time iut wasn’t for golf. It was, that if you see Kyle Quilausing, please call 911. Don’t try to apprehend suspect.”

Quilausing was a full blown meth addict when he was finally arrested.

He never ate and weighed 98 pounds.

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“Not even one minute into my cell, three men ran into my cell, locked the door and beat me up,” he said. “They took me to Halawa Correctional Facility and took me to this place called the SHU. It’s called Special Holding Unit, a.k.a. ‘The Hole.”

Terann Pavao, of Makaha, became a meth addict at the age of 14.

She’s also urging youth not to follow in her footsteps.

“Even if I tried to quit, I just couldn’t. I would literally sleep in a stolen car,” she said. “There were crimes that I committed where I stole something, and then I realized like this belonged to somebody who passed away. The turning point in my life was when everybody around me started getting stabbed, shot, killed. My brother died and he didn’t make it to the age of 21,” she said.

“All of this pain made me realize that I did not want anything to do with drugs anymore.”

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Behind bars, both discovered a higher calling.

“Thank you for this journey, brah. I pray to God to please use me to bring hope to people who battle with addiction, use me to educate the kids to let them know that life is good,” said Quilausing.

Quilausing and Pavao now share their stories at schools and prisons across the state and the country.

“These kids need to hear the truth. Addiction is full of pain. It is full of brokeness,” said Pavao.

Added Quilausing: “I’ve dedicated myself to talking to as many kids as I can and educate them about the power of their choices and to remind them that they’re one choice away from a different life.”

Quilausing is now a husband and father of six.

Pavao lives in a halfway house in Las Vegas.

Both will be speaking at schools in Hawaii and on the mainland throughout the year.

You can listen to more of our conversation with Kyle Quilausing and Terann Pavao right now on HNN’s “Muthaship” podcast, available on your favorite platform.

And if you would like to have them speak at your school, head to topyouthspeakers.com.

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