A man vanished while hiking the infamous ‘Stairway to Heaven,’ leaving behind a haunting final photograph sent to his grandmother. Teenager Daylenn Pua, who was visiting Hawaii to see his grandmother, set out on a hike up the Haiku Stairs—also known as the ‘Stairway to Heaven’—on February 27, 2015. Despite warnings about the closed and dangerous trail, Daylenn shared photos of his journey, but was tragically never heard from again.
The Haiku Stairs, originally constructed during World War II to provide access to a secret U.S. Navy radio station in Haiku Valley, consists of 3,922 steps that span the Ko’olau mountain range. While the trail offers breathtaking views of Oahu, it is also worn and hazardous, making it one of the most dangerous hikes, as noted by Oahu Hike.
Unfazed by the warnings, Daylenn decided to tackle the challenge, even posting on social media the day before, asking his followers to wish him luck. Tragically, he disappeared without a trace, leaving only the photos he sent to his grandmother. Despite an extensive search involving U.S. Navy drones and rescue teams, no sign of Daylenn or his belongings was ever found.
Two main theories have emerged regarding his disappearance. One centers on a photograph he sent during the hike, which, when examined closely, appears to show a figure crouching in the undergrowth. It’s unclear whether this is a person or an animal, but the Honolulu Police Department suggested that if it were a person, they could be a person of interest. The second theory is that Daylenn may have slipped and fallen, as even search teams reported difficulty keeping their footing on the treacherous trail.
Nearly a decade later, the fate of Daylenn Pua remains a mystery.