Keonilei Akana Brother Tausili Akana and Parents Support During Brain Tumor

Akana is the daughter of Hawaiian native Josely and Brandyn Akana.

They trained their daughter from her initial days to become a skilled player in volleyball. Brandyn himself participated in professional basketball leagues in Hawaii back in the day. He played basketball for BYU-Hawaii and was a notable player on his team. He had to discontinue his passion and focus on his career to fulfill his family’s needs. No, he is leaving his dream of becoming a competitive athlete through his children.

The Akana couple hasn’t made many public appearances. However, they sometimes feature on the social media accounts of their children. Keonilei uploaded a picture with her parents on May 14, 2022, when she signed an official contract with the Texas Volleyball team. They struck a pose that resembled a rock sign. Thay symbol is considered a trademark for Keonilei, and she often uses it to mark her presence in several situations.  

Keonilei has a younger brother named Tausili Akana, who plays competitive football in Texas.

He is dedicated to sports and is one of the crucial players on his team. Despite being part of a famous athletic family, there isn’t much detail about Tausili on the internet. She posted a picture of her brother on September 4, 2021, congratulating him on his big day. He probably signed a professional contract with Utah on that day.

She also has an older sister who plays, Braelyn, who is a sophomore volleyball player in Hawaii. They played high school volleyball for their school’s team, Kamehemaha Champions. They played together for the team until 2018 and then parted ways. Braelyn stayed in the state while Keonilei came to Nebraska to complete her higher studies and play for the college’s women’s volleyball team.

Keonilei is an extremely talented volleyball player. There are very rare instances where the opponent can reply to her serve. However, this beast of an athlete had a very unfavorable past that almost ended her career. When the Akana sisters were practicing for the big game of their life with their high school, they practiced a lot and pushed their limits daily.

One fine morning, when they sprinted against each other, Keonilei maintained abruptly and had to be rushed to the hospital. She wasn’t awake until receiving the necessary treatment at the hospital. Later, when the situation calmed down, doctors revealed to her that a tumor was growing nearby her brain, and if not acted quickly, that could result in severe consequences.

She was defeated to hear the news as she could no longer be part of the college’s team for which she worked her heart out. She couldn’t play for much longer after the surgery as it was a severe issue, and she had to be rested for a significant period o time before coming into the pitch and playing like another average athlete. 

She completed her surgery successfully while her family members were alongside her. They fueled her with motivation and always took care of her in this devastating situation which almost took her life. She recovered quickly, and with no time, she was back on the pitch, practicing and making shorts as she had never left before. After her recovery, she joined Nebraska’s team, the rest is history. 

Keonilei isn’t dating anybody as nobody has spotted her with a partner in public.

She is at the peak of her career, and at this stage, she only wants to focus on her game and become one of the greatest players to ever play in the league. However, some claims on the internet have associated Keonilei with Noa Pola-gates, a defensive back for Husker’s football team. 

Despite claims, she never acknowledged her relationship, so we cannot consider it official. Other than that, she is in love with the game. She loved it so much that she used to practice regularly after her chemotherapy sessions. If she progresses this way, she is destined to become one of the most talented players to play volleyball in the USA. 

Keonilei Akana was born in Hauula, Hawaii, on September 19, 2001. She is a Hauula native who was named first-team Under All-American in 2020. As a junior and a senior, she won the Gatorade Player of the Year award, making her one of the most distinguished volleyball players to emerge from the Hawaiian region.

She was regarded as the class of 2018’s top overall talent and top defensive specialist. She battled back after receiving two brain tumor diagnoses in high school so she could continue playing volleyball. When Keonilei was told she had a brain tumor, her two-year volleyball career in high school was put on pause.

Braelyn, Keonilei’s sister, offered support and encouragement when she needed it. She regained her strength and energy to play thanks to surgery and rehabilitation. She majored in psychology at Nebraska University despite being an All-State volleyball player in high school despite having surgeries and chemotherapy.

Keonilei had a passion for volleyball that had never wavered, but she wasn’t sure where it would lead. She was worried about how her initial surgery could impair her ability to play the sport after that. Her life narrative is impressive and motivating, precisely like the energy that drives her to be a successful athlete.

She participated in 53 matches throughout two seasons at Nebraska from 2020 to 2021, helping the squad achieve a national runner-up finish in 2021. Keonilei participated in all 34 games as a sophomore in 2021, recording an average of 2.54 digs and 0.35 aces per set. She had eight multi-ace outings and finished with double-figure digs in 19 matches.

She participated in all 19 games as a freshman defensive specialist, averaging 2.41 digs per set and 0.32 service aces per set while ranking eighth in the Big Ten for aces per set. She had the third-most digs and served the second-most aces on the team, totaling 21.