Vanessa Lachey is embracing the spirit of ohana as she and her husband, Nick Lachey, prepare to move their family—children Camden, 11, Brooklyn, 9, and Phoenix, 7—out of Hawaii following the cancellation of NCIS: Hawai’i. Reflecting on the significance of their time on the islands, Vanessa shared a touching moment with her son in an Aug. 13 Instagram Story. Showing him a picture of a pink plumeria on a wooden table, she asked what he saw. His response? “We are moving, but we are not sad. I see happiness and Aloha coming with us.” Touched by his words, Vanessa added a sobbing emoji and wrote, “forever with us!!!”
The 43-year-old actress, who portrayed team leader Jane Tennant on NCIS: Hawai’i since 2021, bid a heartfelt farewell to Hawaii on her Instagram the same day. Alongside family photos by the ocean, Vanessa wrote, “‘A Hui Hou’ Home is where the heart is. Hawai’i, you will always have my heart! Mahalo Nui Loa for 3 beautiful, magical years you gave me and my family!” She continued, “Now, on to the next adventure. Off into the sunset we go! #LacheyPartyOf5 #AlohaSpirit”
Following the show’s cancellation in April, Vanessa was open about her emotions, initially expressing that she felt “gutted, confused, blindsided.” As she reflected on her three seasons on the show, she turned to the island’s beauty for comfort. On May 1, she revisited the spot where she filmed her first scene, writing, “We aren’t meant to be here forever; we are on borrowed time… We appreciate what was given to us, nurture it, and leave it better for the next dreamer.”
Born in the Philippines and having moved around the world while her father was in the U.S. Air Force, Vanessa shared with E! News in April that being cast as the first female lead in the NCIS franchise was a dream come true—one she hadn’t even realized she wanted until it happened.
For more on Vanessa, Nick, and their family, keep reading.
