Family, friends, and fans gathered on the Fort DeRussy beach in Waikiki for the memorial service of Beth Chapman.
READ: Dog The Bounty Hunter’s Wife Beth Chapman Dead At 51 After Battle With Cancer
The 51-year-old reality star and wife to “Dog The Bounty Hunter” Duane Chapman died on Wednesday after months of battling throat and lung cancer.
On Saturday, Beth was honored with a traditional “paddle out,” a Hawaiian ritual held to memorialize a person after they have died.
The mourners typically paddle out on surfboards or other floating devices and form a circle. They then place floral wreaths inside and leave them to float out to sea.
Duane told crowds at the service that his wife personally requested this form of memorial because Hawaii was her favorite place on earth.
“She loved Hawaii and she loved the people,” he said. “The people mostly she loved.”
READ: Who Are Duane ‘Dog’ Chapman And Beth Chapman’s Children?
The reality star also requested a traditional Hawaiian “oli” chant. The chant is used to make important announcements such as a birth, death, or celebratory occasion.
A funeral service for Beth will also be held in Colorado, the other state she lived in with her husband and children.
“You kind of try to remember that you are celebrating life, but right now we’re mourning death,” Duane told Hawaiian reporters earlier this week.
“For a few years we knew this day would come,” he continued. “It came really unexpected, really fast. All of her clothes, her makeup, everything. We didn’t prepare.”
But, the 66-year-old and other members of Beth’s family found comfort in following her specific wishes.
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