Jackson James Rice, also recognized as JJ Rice, has sadly passed away at the age of 18.
Rice was preparing to participate in the new kite-foiling event at the Paris Olympics.
According to ANOC, kite foil racing is described as ‘sailing, wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing and paragliding into one extreme sport.’
Rice was poised to become the first caucasian athlete to represent Tonga at the Games, following his eighth-place finish at a Sail Sydney event.
Tragically, a freak accident has resulted in the 18-year-old’s death.
Tributes are flooding in for the athlete, with one person writing: “Rest in peace and condolences to the family.”
Another adds: “So very tragic for a young man with what would have been a spectacular life before him.”
“So sad, his whole life ahead of him,” someone else writes.
Another shared: “Thoughts are with your family at this sad time, amen and God bless.”
A heartbroken friend comments: “I can’t begin to put into words what I’m feeling right now. I still cannot believe it, when I woke up to this news I thought you were playing around.”
“You’re the most amazing friend anyone could ask for and anyone who has spent time with you would agree.”
Rice was born in the United States to parents who were originally from Britain. He spent his childhood in Ha’apai, a central region of Tonga, where his parents run a tourist lodge.
The athlete, who identified as Tongan, had trained and competed in Europe before making his way back to Ha’apai.
Rice’s father, Darren, confirmed the heartbreaking news of his son’s passing.
He informed the Matangi Tonga newspaper that Rice had been free-diving from a boat on Saturday when he died from a suspected shallow water blackout.
A shallow water blackout, or apnea blackout, is described by the National Library of Medicine as a ’loss of consciousness caused by cerebral hypoxia towards the end of a breath-hold dive in shallow water.'
This condition typically occurs when hyperventilating before a dive, as it reduces the carbon dioxide (CO2) level and postpones the diver’s urge to breathe.
Rice’s body was discovered on the seafloor beneath the boat by other divers. Efforts to resuscitate the 18-year-old were unsuccessful.
Rice’s sister, Lily, honored her gifted brother on Facebook, writing: “I was blessed with the most amazing brother in the whole world and it pains me to say that he’s passed away…”
“He was an amazing kite foiler and he would have made it to the Olympics and come out with a big shiny medal… he made so many amazing friends all over the world.”
Rice’s father also recalled how the teenager had risked his life to save others when he was 15.
In one instance, Rice helped during a ferryboat accident involving 18 people. In another, he swam out to rescue two girls who were swept off a sandbar.
Details about Rice’s funeral will be announced at a later d
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