Growing up poor yourself, why are you so generous in helping others?

Because of my compassion and empathy. I want to prevent others from feeling like I did—existing from day to day without the barest necessities of life to survive at times. I have often seen my poor mother silently crying for us kids because we went to bed hungry on many nights. I felt completely lost and hopeless. It is for that reason I am today, a Humanitarian.

For their own future financial security, people who grew up poor would be self-serving by saving for their rainy day. Why aren’t you doing the same?

In my religious teachings, upbringing and belief as a Latter-Day Saint (LDS), all of our earthly wealth and worldly possessions were made possible by the blessings of God, our Heavenly Father. He instilled in us the desire, the motivation, and the determination to succeed. He also gave us the ability and the talent so we can be financially successful, so we can help others in need.  

That being the case, all that we have are really gifts from our Heavenly Father. We are only stewards to our given earthly wealth. We are expected to share it with the poor and the needy, the widows and the fatherless. The money we have is not to be saved for one rainy day but to share it. 

Being in such a hopeless situation as a youngster, how did you expect to succeed later in life and eventually manage to become a philanthropist?

My parents told all of us kids, the only way out of poverty is to get a good education. It is one of the ways you can compete with the rich that inherited their wealth.  

Long story short: I needed to attend a good private school to begin my educational process. At 9 years old, when WWII first started in 1941, I shined shoes every day after school and on Saturdays in downtown Honolulu so that with my own earnings, I could enroll at St. Louis. 

While in high school I joined the Hawaii Army National Guard to earn extra money while training on weekends as light-artillery gunner. I enlisted in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War for the G.I. Bill being offered by the government to help pay for my education. I had a full-time night job working while attending College at BYU and at Northwestern University Dental School.

Do you believe in luck and fate? Why? 

Our fates are determined only by being successful in our chosen profession. By our dedication, hard work and our willingness to sacrifice our own comfort, that creates our own fate. I don’t believe in being lucky either. We also create our own luck and good fortune by being financially successful to do and have whatever we want and whenever we want it. The right timing is also paramount.

What was the best advice you were ever given and who was it from?

I must give credit to my parents who are very spiritual. They told us kids when we became old enough to realize that there is a God in Heaven. Quote: “If you will love and honor God our Heavenly Father, with all your heart, might, mind and strength, He will bless, guide and protect you in spite of all the many challenges, trials and tribulations you will face in this mortal life. With your devotion to God, you will be successful and happy because of His love for you.” Unquote.