19 year-old Peter Chi, who grew up on the Big Island, was found dead in his UH Manoa dorm room yesterday, after apparently suffering cardiac arrest.
He was a member of the UH swim team.
Peter suffered from a rare heart disorder called Wolff-Parkinson-White-Syndrome.
But it didn’t stop him from swimming and pursuing his dreams.
Peter Chi was a UH swim team walk on in 2010.
Teammates say he was full of passion and heart.
"Happiest, funniest guy that went out of his way to make everyone feel good about themselves," said Mitch Reed, UH Swimmer.
The team’s first meet of the season against BYU began this past Friday.
Spirits were high as UH was doing well against the defending conference champs.
"We were eating dinner and he was laughing and joking around. We were all shocked on Saturday to hear the news," said Cody Miller, UH Swimmer.
Saturday, the second day of the meet, Peter didn’t show up to swim.
"As soon as the meet was over, I gathered the entire team, some of them were finding out as the meet was going on," said Victor Wales, UH Men’s Swim Coach.
He was found unresponsive in his dorm room from an apparent cardiac arrest- and later pronounced dead.
"Everyone was really shocked and immediately started crying and stuff. We are a really close team and it was really hard," said Miller.
A similar thing happened to Peter 2 years ago, his heart stopped after swim practice.
It forced him to be in the hospital and out of the water for weeks.
"For him to come back from what happened, and to be able to perform at a high level, says alot about his character," said Reed.
After his comeback, he was nominated "most inspirational," where he left his teammates with these profound words.
"Anything can happen to anybody what you really have to do is live your life to the fullest. Don’t take anything for granted because you never know," said Chi, in a video clip posted on Youtube.
Words that he will now be remembered by.
"Gave it his all ’til his last day," said Miller.
"Life is precious, we were so fortunate to have the time we had with Peter, his spirit will live on with us forever," said Wales.
His coach says they are hoping to organize a memorial service for his team and the UH community sometime this week.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
