Simply weeks earlier than he was set to symbolize Tonga on the 2024 Paris Summer season Video games, family members of 18-year-old JJ Rice confirmed he died throughout a horrific freediving accident over the weekend.
Rice, an American-born glider who was scheduled to make his Olympic debut within the new Olympic sport in early August, is believed to have suffered a blackout in shallow water – an usually deadly situation during which a diver loses consciousness in shallow water.
Though born in America, Rice grew up in Tonga, an archipelago within the Pacific Ocean the place his dad and mom owned and operated a vacationer lodge, reviews mentioned. Matangi Tonga. He would have been the primary Caucasian to symbolize Tonga on the Olympic Video games.
mentioned the younger athlete’s father Matangi The tragic accident occurred on Saturday, with resuscitation efforts failing. Shallow water blackouts are sometimes extra lethal than typical drownings as a result of the brains of the victims, usually free divers, have already been dealing with excessive ranges of oxygen for a very long time.
Rice’s sister, Lily, posted a heartbreaking tribute to her brother on Fb, describing him as “probably the most wonderful brother in the entire world.” She added that he was destined to go away the Olympics “with an enormous shiny medal and an excellent larger smile.”
“The final time I noticed him, he hugged me so exhausting I needed I had held on longer,” she mentioned.
Though he’s a naturalized Tongan, Matangi She said that Rice was proud to symbolize his new nation. As a result of Kitefoiling is a person sport, he may have chosen to symbolize the USA, however he mentioned he wished to deliver Olympic glory again to the small archipelago of 106,000 individuals.
Rice’s father mentioned he saved “many lives” when he was 15 years outdated Matangi He helped save 18 individuals from the capsized ferry. On one other event, the grieving father remembers that Rice as soon as swam behind a sand bar to rescue two women who had been swept out to sea.
“He made so many fantastic mates all around the world as a result of he was so cherished and they’ll all miss him a lot,” Lily mentioned.
