Tupuimatagi Nautu Mika Lolo was born to his father Nautu Lolo Uelese and his mother Siosinamele Feviiai Tuioti Mariner in September of 1960. His father preceded him in death in 1995. Mika has nine siblings and was preceded in death by two of them, Penelope and Siaosi in 2018 and 2008 respectively. His other siblings are Tusi, Uelese, Rotorua, Rotoiti, Leilani, Penelope Jr, and Yvonne, all of which are still living.
Mika was born and raised in Savaii, Samoa. His dad was a school teacher, principal, and school inspector for the government so they traveled a lot. The family moved to the island of Upolu in the early seventies and lived in the villages of Lelata and Lotopa. Mika attended St. Joseph’s College and later graduated from Leulumoega Fou College.
Mika was a talented soccer player who played for his village team and later made it onto the Samoan National team. Mika was talented at any sport he tried, he had a knack for understanding them. He could watch a game and then start playing it like he’d been doing it for years.
After graduating from high school he spent almost ten years working at:
-The National Hospital in the medical records department
-The Development Bank of Samoa as a loan recovery officer and
-The Justice Department as a Court clerk.
During this time he had a dream of getting an education but due to his bad grades in high school it wasn’t easy, but he never gave up. In 1988 he sat the test that would allow him to enter BYU Hawaii. When the results were posted, out of habit he started looking for his name at the bottom of the list. When he didn’t find his name there he kept looking up until he found his name. It was at the top of the list. He had the top score. During the process of applying to BYU Hawaii he was interviewed by representatives from the Polynesian Cultural Center. One of the questions he was asked was if he could do the slap dance. He replied “of course” and proceeded to slap his entire body like crazy. He got a full ride scholarship for four years. He was the first fully sponsored nonmember to attend BYU Hawaii. He had finally gotten his chance to fulfill his dream and receive an education.
While at BYU he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was baptized by is close friend Viiga Fuimaono in September of 1988. Throughout his years at BYU he worked as a canoe guide at the Polynesian Cultural Center. He got to be so good at this he always got the VIP tours. Whoever was a canoe boy knows that you’re a canoe boy for life. During his first few years at BYU he got into weight lifting and set many records. He also loved watching professional wrestling. One of his favorite wrestlers was “The British Bulldog” which earned him the nickname “British" amongst his friends.
In 1990 he met the woman who would become his wife Emily Rebecca Conway. Mika was twelve years older than her, so she used to always tease him that the reason it took so long for him to get to school was so that she had time to grow up and meet him there. They dated for two years and later married on the 29th of August 1992.
In the years to come they welcomed 5 sons into their family:
Lorenzo Aloalii Nautuailetotomasaa Lolo
LeGrande Manumailagi Lolo
Layton Sailimalo Lolo
Lance Sapenepainea Lolo
Liam Tautualefaatuaoiina Lolo
In 2010 they also adopted a daughter named Cecilia Alofa Lolo. His wife and children are all still living.
After college Mika tried to get a job with the Samoan government but there were no openings. One of his friends told him that they were looking for teachers at the church schools in Samoa. Mika applied and got a job teaching history and social science at the church school in Pesega or CCWS as it was known back then. Mika thought it would be a temporary job until something opened up in the government. However, he soon found he loved teaching. Mika was able to connect with the students. He could speak their language and make them feel loved and valued. The students really responded to him and came to love and respect him. From then on he never looked back. Mika received the “Outstanding Teacher of the Year” award the first two years he taught.
Also during this time the school needed a rugby coach, Mika had never coached rugby before but the school needed a coach so he gave it his best. He took his team in just one season from last place to first. He not only had a gift with teenagers but also with sports, and rugby combined them both. Because of his bond with his rugby boys they affectionately called him “Master”. For 24 years he has been with the church schools 8 as a teacher, 8 as a vice principal, and 8 as a principal. For over 15 of those same years he coached rugby.
He also had another gift and that was how to read a room. He had astounding comedic timing and could throw out one liners and mic drops that would get everyone rolling. He could brighten up rooms. He also knew when to be serious, and he’d give some of the best advice you’d ever heard. Some of his favorite sayings he’d always give were, “Don’t spend your time and money on someone else’s future spouse”; “Don’t settle for less”; and “Never get tired of being good.”
In 1999 Mika moved the family to Aurora, Colorado to pursue his master's degree. He graduated in 2002 from the University of Phoenix with a Masters in Education Administration. Because of how hard he had to work for his education he valued it, and encouraged anyone he interacted with to receive a higher education.
Mika moved the family back to Samoa in January 2003 and continued his teaching and administration career touching the lives of many.
From Mika’s life we learn, that Heavenly Father will put you on the path that you need to be on, if you trust and have faith in him. Mika never planned on becoming an educator but was one of the best because he worked so hard at it and out his whole heart into it. He firmly believed that if you are going to do anything you better do it right, and give it your best. He lived a life of service and was one of the most loving, humble, loyal and patient men you could have ever met. His example is one that not only his family will treasure for life but also all his students, his other children. He was blessed to be a father to thousands.
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