Kailani "Kai" Hoenig

Kailani JTG Hoenig (the artist formally known as JT), 19 years old, of Duluth, was born September 9, 2005 in Rochester, New York to Kelly (Anderson) and John G. Hoenig Jr. Kai graduated from Duluth Marshall 2024 and was attending the University of North Carolina School of Arts pursuing a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Theatrical Technical Production.

Kai was preceded in death by grandparents, Elaine Anderson, John G. Hoenig Sr., Anne Hoenig, and their beloved Aunt, Beth Weiss.

Kai is survived by mother, Kelly Hoenig; father, John G. (Linnea Woods, “Bonus Mom”) Hoenig Jr. and bonus brother Damian; grandparents, Terry (Heidi Halker) Anderson; Aunt Sarah (Ben) Knutson and their children Maija, Noble, and Rowan; Uncle, Tim Weiss and his children, Abby and Sam.

Kai Hoenig’s passions were sailing, robotics, theater, photography, indoor rock climbing, and trying to stay on their One Wheel. Most of all, Kai loved spending time with family, cousins, friends, and Sailors, especially on and around the water. Kai was a peer counselor, cheerleader for everyone they met, and you could count on them to tackle any task, except cleaning their room. Kai was known to commute on their bike to rowing or climbing, and then upgraded to the ‘One Wheel’ to beat the hills of Duluth. When they needed to get to the other end of the harbor to work at Barkers Island Marina, Kai would take their dingy down the bay.

Kai was a member of the 4230 TopperBots robotics team at Marshall and helped build the 2024 award winning robot. The team was excited when they advanced to the World Championships in Houston, making it to the final rounds of the competition. 

Kai Hoenig was a lifelong member of the Duluth Yacht Club since the adventurous age of two. While racing with DYC, Kai loved being a member of the WindWalker crew, where three generations of family raced together. In addition, Kai was honored to be a Bonified Original crew member of the Olson 40 sail boat, Screaming O, and was proud of the offshore nautical miles they logged on Lake Superior. Kai started as regular crew with the “O” program at age 7, when the skipper dubbed them the “Chief Snack-tician” and quickly earned their nickname “JT Blackbeard”. Over time, Kai became a well-rounded, knowledgeable, keel boat sailor, and was known by the crew as a “downwind trimming machine”. The Screaming O gave Kai the opportunity, in Kai’s words, to “foolishly” race the Trans Superior Yacht Race twice: at age 15 in 2021, and at age 17 in 2023. Kelly, John, and Linnea entrusted Kai’s “boat parents”, Richard, Christian, and Stacy, to guide them on these exciting adventures.

Kai bravely acknowledged their gender dysphoria and chose to live a life authentic to themself. As common with people in the transgender community, Kai also struggled with depression and ultimately lost their battle with the disorder. If you or anyone you know is affected by depression - please seek help, there is support for you! Call/Text 988.

A gathering of family, friends, and Sailors to celebrate Kai will be held on Sunday, Oct. 20th, at The Garden, Canal Park, 425 S Lake Ave, Duluth, MN, from 1-4 pm with a dedicated time for remembrance at 1:30. 

In lieu of flowers and gifts, their family would prefer donations be sent via Venmo to their mother Kelly Hoenig @findkho, or can be accepted at the service. Donations will then be made to some of Kai’s favorite charities and organizations following the celebration. 

We will miss this passionate, witty, kind, empathetic, Old Soul, and friend to all! 

Please keep your hearts and minds open to seeing and hearing all people.

"I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side, spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other. Then, someone at my side says, ‘There, she is gone.’ Gone where? Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast, hull and spar as she was when she left my side. And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port. Her diminished size is in me — not in her. And, just at the moment when someone says, ‘There, she is gone,’ there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, ‘Here she comes!’ And that is dying…”