A Boy Out Hiking Sends An Eerie Final Image To His Grandmother Before Disappearing

The Haiku Stairs — infamously known as the “Stairway to Heaven” — is a steep, metal staircase ascending the Koʻolau Mountain on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaii.

With more than 3,000 steps, it was once a popular hiking trail for the daring, offering breath-taking views to those bold enough to climb it. By 1987, however, the trail was officially closed to the public due to serious safety concerns.

Despite warnings and barricades, trespassers continued to risk the climb. In 2015, one teenager’s adventure on the forbidden stairs would take a sinister turn, turning a thrill-seeking outing into a chilling ordeal…

In February 2015, 18 year old Daylenn Pua arrived on the island to visit his grandmother. Curious about the forbidden trail, he told her that he planned to explore it himself. She warned him that the trail was not only illegal—trespassing could result in a $1,000 fine and a 30-day jail sentence—but also extremely dangerous.

The rickety structure had been built during World War II to transmit radio signals to Navy ships, and any misstep could prove fatal.

A rebellious teen with a love for adventure and the great outdoors, Daylenn refused to heed his “overly cautious” grandmother. Confident in his abilities, he believed he could conquer the trail and didn’t pause for a single moment to consider the dangers that awaited him.

On 24th February, Daylenn set out on his solo trip, having already bragged about his adventure on social media the night before—calling it “easily the best views across O’ahu” and asking his followers to wish him ‘luck’.

Upon reaching the start of the trail, Daylenn sent his grandmother a series of photographs documenting his progress, reassuring her that he was safe at every stage of his journey.

However, it was one final photograph sent that day which would become the most haunting. After that image was shared, Daylenn was never seen or heard from again.

At first glance, the image seemed unremarkable—just dense brush, typical for a 2.5-mile-high mountain. But when Daylenn failed to return home that day, a closer inspection of the photograph revealed something deeply disturbing—something that hinted at the possibility of foul play...

As Daylenn stood on the steps overlooking the scenic landscape behind him, a figure of a man crouching in the bushes appeared—almost as if he were stalking his prey.

After Daylenn was reported missing, US Navy drones and Mountain Rescue teams were quickly deployed to scour the vast terrain, but no trace of him or his belongings was ever found.

It is possible that Daylenn lost his footing and fell, perishing in a location too remote for rescuers to find. This theory gained weight when two hikers came forward, describing how they were ‘traumatized’ after hearing screams for help in the area on the same day. They were so shaken by what they heard that they called 911.

When a team of five rescuers arrived, they reportedly heard cries of “I’m down here!” but were unable to pinpoint the source of the distress.

Despite these efforts, the Honolulu Police Department remains focused on the man captured in Daylenn’s photograph that day. This individual is still a person of interest, but has never been identified.

In the years since Daylenn disappeared, speculation has run rampant online about whether he fell victim to someone who may have kidnapped or attacked him. Ultimately, the questions surrounding his fate remain unanswered, and what became of Daylenn Pua a decade later is still unknown.

As of 2026, the case remains unsolved. The city council arranged for the steps to be dismantled in late 2024, yet demolition has not begun, and the structure still stands to this day.