We know Tristyn Kalama as the design visionary behind the stunning home transformations on HGTV’s “Renovation Aloha,” the creative force alongside her husband Kamohai. Her eye for aesthetics, her warmth, and her seemingly effortless success paint a picture of a life well-lived. However, in a deeply personal and emotionally charged “talk story” session, Tristyn bravely peeled back the layers of her past, revealing a childhood marked by profound difficulties, legal turmoil, and the pervasive shadow of addiction. Her story is a powerful testament to breaking cycles, finding strength in adversity, and the unwavering power of love and faith.
Tristyn’s upbringing was, in many ways, paradoxical. She grew up in an “upper middle class” household, witnessing her parents and grandparents thriving as “very successful entrepreneurs.” This early exposure instilled in her a foundational understanding of self-employment and control, leading her to “always knew that I didn’t want to work a job.” She saw her parents “waking up, taking care of us and going to run their business and work their ass off.” The drive for independence and ownership was deeply ingrained.
Yet, woven into this entrepreneurial fabric was a devastating reality: Tristyn “also saw drug addiction and alcoholism.” Both her parents were “recovering drug addicts,” a truth that shaped her early life profoundly. She candidly described them as a “different breed of human” – “super high-functioning” addicts. This meant that while they continued to “run a business,” “pay their bills,” and provide basic necessities like “food, shelter, clothing and attention,” their presence was undeniably “a little different from other people’s.” The insidious nature of high-functioning addiction meant the chaos was often masked, but its undercurrent was ever-present for a child.
The true breaking point came suddenly and violently. Tristyn recalls a morning, a memory she can still recall “very distinctly,” when she was young. Around 5 or 5:30 a.m., she heard people outside. Her brother opened the door, and in surged a “SWAT team fully charging into our home.” Her father was asleep, and her mother, who worked nights, arrived home to find the raid in progress, having been followed by the authorities. Her parents were arrested, and their lives, along with Tristyn’s, were irrevocably altered.
In that moment of terror and confusion, her father made a crucial call to her “Nana,” her grandmother. This detail is particularly poignant, as Tristyn reveals her Nana was her “constant force” – a source of “Safety and Security” and unconditional love, embodying the kind of unwavering devotion “Jesus talks about in the Bible.” Her grandmother’s presence became a lifeline when her “entire world changed.”
Tristyn’s parents went to “jail for quite a while.” The impact on a young girl was immediate and widespread. She recalls seeing her “parents on the news,” and her “house getting raided.” The public humiliation and personal trauma led her to avoid school for a period, recognizing this as the genesis of her “conflict avoidance.” She endured the painful process of “visiting them in prison.”
A deeply emotional revelation involved her parents’ choices regarding rehabilitation. Her mother, like Kamohai would years later, was offered a choice between “treatment or go to prison,” and she chose treatment. However, due to the rules of the Sand Island facility – which prohibited married couples from being in the same program – only one could go. In an act of profound sacrifice, Tristyn’s father declared, “send my wife and I will take the time.” This selfless act, borne from a love that was “almost codependent and unhealthy” yet undeniably real, became a powerful example for Tristyn. “I’ve always found that my parents were in love,” she shared, “till today.”
Even after her father’s release, the family’s journey through the justice and recovery system continued, with her mother attending the treatment center on weekends. Throughout this turbulent period, her grandparents remained a steadfast source of “normalcy.”
Despite the immense challenges and the statistical likelihood that children in such situations might follow a similar path, Tristyn made a conscious and courageous decision to “take a different route.” She knew she “wasn’t going to be a drug addict even though it was in my blood.” Having been “a victim of it,” she understood where that path led. Instead, she channeled her energy into education, pursuing a psychology degree and later a master’s, with the goal of becoming a licensed counselor.
Tristyn Kalama’s story is far more than just a renovation narrative. It’s a testament to the quiet strength forged in the crucible of adversity. It’s a deeply moving account of a young woman who, faced with the stark realities of addiction and incarceration in her own family, chose a path of healing, education, and ultimately, service. Her journey underscores that true success isn’t just about what you build, but how you rebuild, not just houses, but lives.
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