Vili Fualaau biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Public figure. Born June 26, 1983, as one of four children born to Soona and Luaiva Fualaau. Fualaau first met educator Mary Kay Letourneau while he was in second grade. She later became his sixth-grade teacher at Shorewood Elementary School in Burien, Washington. A popular teacher and a married mother of four, Letourneau initially took Fualaau under her wing and encouraged his artistic talents. He spent time at her house and she encouraged a friendship between him and her oldest child, Steve, who was only a year younger than him.

According to some interviews, Fualaau has claimed to be the one that sought to change their friendship into a relationship. He thought about what he could do to win her over, telling Dateline television news magazine that "I remember I used to like plan the next day, like 'What I was gonna do, what was gonna say, what I was gonna like - what surprise I was gonna leave on her desk.'" Letourneau claimed that she saw him as a more of a man than a young teenager.

Involvement with Letourneau

During the summer after sixth grade, Fualaau celebrated his 13th birthday. Shortly after, he became sexually involved with Letourneau. Both Fualaau and Letourneau were concerned with keeping the relationship a secret, however, Letourneau later said she did not understand that her involvement with the minor was legally considered rape. The police did catch them together in her van once, parked at a local marina at night. They questioned Fualaau and Letourneau, who both denied any wrongdoing. The officers also called Fualaau's mother who said that it was okay for him to be there with her.

Fatherhood at 14

In 1997, Letourneau became pregnant with Fualaau's child. Her husband learned about her relationship with Fualaau, and one of his family members tipped off the authorities. Soon after, Letourneau was arrested on statutory rape charges. She gave birth to daughter Audrey that May, making Fualaau a father for the first time at age 14. Fualaau's mother received temporary custody of the child.

At first, Fualaau kept his identity hidden during the legal proceedings against Letourneau. He still gave comments to the press, explaining to Washington TV station KIRO that Letourneau's pregnancy was no accident. "We made a plan. The only way to keep us together was to have a baby, so that baby would remind me of her," he told a reporter. The family later sued the station for invasion of privacy.

Incarceration for Letourneau

Letourneau later pled guilty to two counts of child rape and was given a sentence of six months to seven years in prison. Released into a sex offender treatment program after six months, Letourneau refused to stay away from Fualaau, despite a court order.