At one time Nanakuli's Salevaa Atisanoe was the heaviest wrestler ever in the centuries old sport of sumo.

But times are changing, just weeks ago the man once known as Konishiki made a dramatic decision in the name of health.

He has struggled with weight loss since he retired from sumo a decade ago.

Now he hopes to have turned a corner.

He was honored for all he's done in a sumo ring, and to help young kids along the Waianae Coast.

But now the big man who has helped so many is trying to help himself. "I just did the gastric bypass. It's been three weeks since I've been out, and it's amazing," in between meetings at the state capitol.

It came with the territory...For much of his career "Konishiki" weighed more than 600 pounds.

Ten years ago he quit the sport, but he found he couldn't quit the weight that went along with it, until now. "I don't want to say a shortcut, but it's something to help me move forward faster with the process of losing the weight. Actually in three weeks I've lost like 50 pounds," the man affectionately called Sale said.

Atisanoe says it wasn't an easy decision.

He spent much of last year meeting with doctors and specialists to plot out the best course.

And a body left aching from years of battling in a ring didn't effect his status to undergo the radical procedure. "They looked into how healthy you are. And in my case I was very fortunate that I had no really big problems with me," he said.

Besides being honored by lawmakers Atisanoe was also at the capitol to give back to his community. "From the Konishiki Kids Foundation we have a $70,000 check," he said.

Sale now seems more ready than ever to attack the challenges facing many of the youth along Oahu's leeward coast. "Take this very deeply in your hearts. Just save the kids man.It's not their fault that they live in a poverty area. But education is the only way out," he said.

The large donation means a lot to so many of the people trying to make a difference on the west side. "It's given them hope. It's given them an opportunity to kind of visualize what they would like to do in the future," said Randy Miura, Principal of Leihoku Elementary School.

"Konishiki Kids" is a program that has been ongoing along the leeward oahu coast for years.

Atisanoe says he's helped about 450 kids realize trips to Japan...kids who may have never travelled off this island if not for the opportunity.