Who is William ‘Kono’ Dahlin? NCIS: Hawaii airs tribute card

NCIS: Hawaii season 3
Photo: CBS

Following tonight’s NCIS: Hawaii season 3 premiere, you may have seen the title card dedication to William “Kono” Dahlin. Who was he? That is something we will break down further within this piece.

The first thing that we should remind you of here is that title cards are often one of the best ways to honor someone who made an impact on a show, whether it be behind the scenes or in some other capacity. These live on in subsequent airings and as a result of that, it allows everyone a chance to learn more about them and their significance to the world of the show.

When it comes to Dahlin, we are talking here about a name that should not be forgotten, as he passed away last summer after becoming a victim of senseless gun violence. While we have not been able to find any direct connection between Kono and NCIS: Hawaii, we know that there are messages that the show is trying to get across about making the world around us safer. These are things that are somewhat reflected in what you see onscreen.

Another important thing to remember here is that in Hawaii, the spirit of Ohana exists through both good times and bad. Even in heavily populated areas like Honolulu, these are islands where the people do look after and care for one another. This is why there was such a huge community effort made following the tragedies in Maui, and that is something that we imagine that this show could honor and shine a light on at some point moving into the future.

For now, we hope that this card does serve as a comfort to some out there, and also shows further some of what matters more to this show and this community — honoring those who are gone far too soon. You see it in the stories on screen, and also real-life situations away from the episodes, as well.

Our thoughts go out to Dahlin’s family, friends, and all who loved him during this extremely difficult time. May this card serve as a comfort.

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