University of Hawaii Football Player Willis Wilson Drowns at Sandy Beach

According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser a University of Football player drowned this morning at Sandy Beach:

University of Hawaii running back Willis Wilson apparently drowned this morning in an incident off Sandy Beach.

He was 20.

According to a Honolulu Fire Department report, Wilson was among a group of three men and two women who were wading in shallow water early this morning. At about 4:30 a.m., they noticed that Wilson was not with them.

More here: www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/20131130_UH_football_player_apparently_drowns_at_Sandy_Beach.html

OFFICIAL UH STATEMENT ON PLAYER’S DEATH:

UH Football Player Willis Wilson Passes Away

HONOLULU – The University of Hawai‘i Athletics Department has confirmed the passing of Willis Wilson, a running back on the football team.

“We are very saddened by the news of Willis’ passing,” head football coach Norm Chow said. “He was a very fun-loving young man, who was well-liked by his teammates. He was an exciting football player who came to us from the University of Washington and whom we felt would help us at running back. He overcame some obstacles in his life and he was the perfect lesson to our team to never quit. Our thoughts and prayers are with Willis’ family during this difficult time.”

Wilson, 21, a walk-on who transferred from Washington, did not appear in any games this season.

Born in Pearl City, O‘ahu, Wilson spent three years at UW, where he redshirted in 2010 and received the team’s Brian Stapp Special Teams Scout Player of the Year award. He did not appear in any games in 2011 and saw limited action in four games as a sophomore.

Wilson graduated from Lakes High School in Lakewood, Wash. He was an all-state running back and the South Puget Sound League’s offensive player of the year as a senior after rushing for 1,425 yards and 22 touchdowns in leading Lakes to the 3A state semifinals.

Wilson’s father Jack Wilson, Jr., played for UH in the late 1980s.

-UH-

Kona Woman Drowns Near Kailua Pier

A 67-year-old Kona woman apparently drowned Wednesday (February 20) in waters near the Kailua Pier.

She was identified as Nga Angie Prieto of Kailua-Kona.

In response to a 9:30 a.m. call of a possible drowning, officers determined that a woman swimming near buoy No. 3 had discovered Prieto floating face down and unresponsive.  The swimmer flagged down a tender boat from a cruise ship and the victim was pulled aboard. Personnel on the boat attempted cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and took the victim to shore, where Fire Department personnel continued CPR. They took the woman to Kona Community Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 9:57 a.m.

Police have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

California Woman Drowns Off South Kohala Coast of the Big Island

A California woman apparently drowned Thursday (November 15) in waters along the South Kohala coast.

Eileen Melville

The woman has been identified as 70-year-old Eileen Melville of Midvalley, California.

South Kohala patrol officers responded to Beach 69 in Puako after receiving a 12:08 p.m. call reporting an unresponsive snorkeler.

Responding officers learned that bystanders had pulled the woman from the water and attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation until Fire Department personnel arrived. She was taken to North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 1:17 p.m.

Police have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Hilo Man Dies Saving His Son From Large Wave

A 34-year-old Hilo man who nearly drowned over the weekend died Thursday (September 27) from the incident.
Chris Broussard of Hilo and his 9-year-old son were snorkeling in a tide pool in the Brown’s Beach area Sunday morning (September 23) when a large wave swept the boy out of the tide pool. Bruoussard jumped into the ocean in an attempt to save the boy. By the time bystanders were able to pull the child to safety, Broussard was floating face down in the water.

Fire rescue personnel took him to Hilo Medical Center, where he died at 10:10 a.m. Thursday.

Police are investigating the case as a fatal public accident.

72-Year-Old Texas Woman Dies Snorkeling Off the Kohala Coast

Big Island police have initiated a coroner’s inquest case in connection with a Texas woman who died after snorkeling along the Kohala Coast on Sunday.

South Kohala patrol officers responded to North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital Sunday evening in response to an 8 p.m. call reporting the death of 71-year-old Sokoon Yu of Flour Mound, Texas.

Yu had been snorkeling with a tour group in waters fronting a resort on the 74-5000 block of Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway when she became unresponsive at approximately 10 a.m. Sunday. Workers from the tour group pulled her from the water, performed cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, and took her to shore. Fire Department personnel continued CPR and transported her to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 7:55 p.m.

An autopsy will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death.

Related articles

• Police Investigating Death of Tourist Found Floating in Water (damontucker.com)

Police Investigating Death of Tourist Found Floating in Water

Big Island police are investigating the death of a 50-year-old San Francisco man who died Wednesday (June 13) along the Kohala Coast.

Paul S. Tsang was snorkeling in waters off Mauna Lani Beach Club at about 12:35 p.m. when an unidentified person on shore noticed he was floating. An Ogden, Utah, man using a paddle board went to check on Tsang and found him unresponsive.

Tsang was brought to shore, where a nurse from Tucson, Arizona, and Hawaiʻi lifeguard personnel performed cardio-pulmonary resuscitation until Hawaiʻi Fire Department personnel arrived.

Tsang was taken to North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:39 p.m.

Police are investigating the matter as a coroner’s inquest and have ordered an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Montana Man Drowns Off Kona Coast

A Montana man apparently drowned Tuesday (April 10) in waters off Kona. The victim has been identified as 68-year-old Edward Woyciehowicz of Missoula, Montana.

Just before noon, Kona patrol officers responded to a report of a possible drowning at Kahalu‘u Beach Park. Upon arrival, they learned that a lifeguard had seen a man floating and had pulled him out of the water and begun cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. Fire Department personnel also responded and continued CPR.

They took him to Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police do not suspect foul play. An autopsy has been ordered to determine the exact cause of death.

Big Island Police Investigating South Point Drowning

Big Island police are investigating a possible drowning at South Point on Tuesday afternoon (December 20).

The victim has been identified as 49-year-old Gordon Kimo Lopes of Ocean View.

Kaʻū patrol officers responded to the reported drowning at 7:15 p.m. A 47-year-old Ocean View man reported that he had been on shore while his friend was scuba diving for fish fronting the lighthouse at South Point. The scuba diver entered the water around 6:45 p.m. About a half-hour later, his friend heard him yelling for help and called 911.

When police and firefighters arrived, they were unable to locate the victim. Because of rough seas, firefighters could not enter the water. A rescue boat from Keauhou arrived around 11 p.m. and firefighters used it to locate and retrieve the victim’s body. Lopes was was taken to Kona Community Hospital, where he was officially pronounced dead at 2:59 a.m. Wednesday (December 21).

Police are investigating this case as a public accident.

Big Island Police Investigate Possible Drowning in Hilo

Big Island police are investigating a possible drowning in Hilo on Tuesday Wednesday (September 14) as a coroner’s inquest.

The man who died has been identified as 20-year-old Brystan Alidon of Hilo.

On Tuesday, South Hilo patrol officers responded to a 12:43 p.m. report of a swimmer in distress off shore at Pauka’a. Fire Department personnel also responded and were able to retrieve Alidon’s body. He was officially pronounced dead at 2 p.m. at Hilo Medical Center.

Maui Drowning Caught on Tape: Warning Disturbing