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Jace Makani

Jace Makani, born Jace Watson on May 20, 2035, was a disabled teenager from Baltimore, Maryland. He sustained a severe traumatic brain injury during an October 2045 assault by his biological father, Mike Watson, and lived with seizures, chronic migraines, fatigue, and cognitive effects afterward. Jace was the son of Elise Makani and the adopted son of Maleko “Mo” Makani.

Early Life and Background

Jace was the biological son of Elise and Mike. Mike’s ancestry has not been established. Through Elise, Jace had German-Scandinavian American maternal ancestry.

Mo entered Jace’s life during infancy and became a consistent caregiver and father figure. Jace grew up with his older sister, Amber, and later became the older half-brother of Alika.

Mike subjected Elise and the children to emotional and physical abuse. Jace learned to monitor changes in Mike’s behavior and repeatedly tried to protect Amber.

Personality

Jace was quiet, observant, and protective of people he trusted. He usually took time to process before speaking and preferred small groups or one-to-one interaction when fatigue and sensory load limited his energy. After his injury, he learned to identify warning signs, state his medical needs, and ask for rest or reduced stimulation.

Cultural Identity and Heritage

Jace was not Native Hawaiian by ancestry. He participated in Native Hawaiian family and cultural life through his hānai relationship with Mo and Mo’s extended ʻohana. Ikaika Makani taught him surfing, ocean safety, family history, and selected Hawaiian language and cultural practices without treating that participation as an ethnic identity.

Speech and Communication Patterns

Jace spoke quietly and with deliberate pauses. He used direct, specific language when describing seizure warnings, migraine onset, fatigue, or other access needs. He also learned basic Hawaiian phrases through Mo and Ikaika.

Education

Jace continued attending school in Baltimore after his injury. His educational accommodations included additional processing time, rest access, reduced exposure to crowded hallways, and permission to leave class when migraine or seizure warnings began.

Health and Disabilities

Traumatic Brain Injury and Seizures

Main article: Mike Watson’s Assault on Jace (October 18, 2045) - Event

On October 18, 2045, Jace intervened after Mike struck Amber during a visit at Mike’s house. Mike shoved ten-year-old Jace backward down the porch steps, and Jace struck his head on concrete. He lost consciousness, began seizing during Amber’s emergency call, and remained in a coma for one week.

The injury caused permanent neurological effects, including a seizure disorder, chronic migraines, chronic fatigue, attention and processing difficulties, emotional-regulation changes, and problems with visual processing, balance, and spatial awareness. His care included seizure medication, rehabilitation, ongoing neurology, migraine management, scheduled rest, and school accommodations.

Surfing and Rehabilitation

Main article: Jace Makani and Ikaika Makani

Ikaika had begun teaching Jace to surf during childhood visits to Oʻahu. After the injury, he adapted the lessons to Jace’s balance, visual-processing, and fatigue needs. Shorter sessions, calmer water, verbal cues, and beach-based balance work allowed Jace to resume surfing as part of his physical rehabilitation and continued relationship with Ikaika.

Family and Core Relationships

Elise Makani

Elise was Jace’s mother and medical advocate. After the assault, she secured legal protection that ended Mike’s access to the children. She supported Jace through hospitalization, rehabilitation, and the family’s transition away from Mike.

Maleko “Mo” Makani

Main article: Mo Makani and Jace Makani

Mo had cared for Jace since infancy and remained at the hospital during his week-long coma. After Mike was imprisoned for the attack, Mo adopted Jace, legally formalizing the father-son bond they had already built. Jace and Amber later changed their surname from Watson to Makani.

Amber Makani

Jace and Amber shared the experience of Mike’s abuse. Jace intervened to protect Amber during the October 2045 assault; Amber called emergency services and remained involved throughout his hospitalization.

Alika Makani

Alika was Jace’s younger maternal half-brother and Mo’s biological son. He was born into the reconstituted Makani household after the assault.

Ikaika Makani

Ikaika treated Jace as part of Mo’s hānai family and became his surfing instructor and cultural mentor. Their relationship continued after Jace’s injury through adapted surfing and family visits to Oʻahu.

Friendships and Social Connections

Jace belonged to The Band Kids, the younger generation of the extended CRATB family network. His connection with Lia Cruz was a non-romantic chosen-family relationship formed through that wider community.

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