Kalani David, a famous Hawaiian surfer and skateboarder, died on Saturday, September 17, after a seizure while surfing in Costa Rica. The news of David’s untimely death has come as a shock to the family, friends, and admirers of the surf and skate prodigy. Kalani David was just 24-years-old at the time of his death.
Keep reading this article to learn more about Kalani David, his career background, the cause of his death, and more!
Kalani David Died at Costa Rica?
Kalani David’s death was confirmed by his close friend and longtime supporter, Peter King, through a post on his Instagram. According to Peter King, his friend, Kalani David, passed away after “a massive seizure while surfing” in Costa Rica on Saturday, September 17.
Remembering his close friend, Kalani David, photographer Peter King wrote on his Instagram. “Love you, Kalani,” “Only God knows his timing. Life isn’t easy. Always battling. Always learning. Heartbreaking News. He had a massive seizure while surfing. He had re-connected with his family in Costa Rica and was having such a great time. “
I’ll always remember your stoke when we’d shoot skate ‘n surf and how much hope you had for your future. “God bless the family and extended family who were always there for you,” Peter King said.
Kalani David’s cause of death
According to the reports, Kalani David’s cause of death was revealed as a prolonged illness of his body. One of the many health issues the 24-year-old surfer and skater, Kalani, had a condition called “Wolf Parkinson White Syndrome.”
This condition causes “an additional electrical route in the heart which can lead to periods of fast heart rate(tachycardia).” The syndrome is a congenital heart defect which is relatively rare. Its periods aren’t generally life-threatening, but sometimes they can lead to sudden cardiac death.
This issue almost took Kalani’s life in August 2016, when he was skating at a park in Oceanside, California. He had a seizure and his condition only worsened. After that, just before Christmas 2016, he suffered a six-hour seizure that nearly took his life while he was at his home on Oahu. Due to which, he had to spend two days in a medically induced coma and underwent surgery in 2017 to remove the muscle that had grown on his heart, due to which he was suffering from the seizures.
More about Kalani David
Kalani David, was born on November 4, 1997 in Oahu, Hawaii, the United States. He has a younger brother named Keoni, who is 16 years old. Kalani was just one year and a half when he discovered surfing at Jaco Beach in Costa Rica.
Career Background
It became clear from a very young age that Kalani had something special in him. In 2008, when Kalani was just 11 years old, he captured his first NSSA National Surfing Championship in the Mini Grom division. He earned a perfect 10 score to secure the victory in that competition.
As a 14-year-old teenager, Kalani David was already ranked higher than superstar skateboarders like Bobby Burnquist and Bucky Laskek on the Dew Tour’s Bowl Series. In the same year, he travelled to Bali to compete in the World Junior Championships at Keramas. Kalani was one of the best surfers in the contest, performing massive aerial manoeuvres, but suffered a fourth-round loss to Conner Coffin.
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Kelly Slater Pays Tribute to Kalani
Following the death of the Hawaiian surfer, famous American surfer and 11-time World Surf League champion, Kelly Slater, paid his tribute to the late Kalani David through a story on his Instagram handle.
Remembering the departed soul of Kalani David, Kelly Slater wrote, “Kalani was one of the most talented surfers/skaters on Earth, constantly pushing the limits every time he was on his feet. Condolences to the huge community of friends Kalani had coast to coast and all across the globe.”
Kalani David had a short life, but he made sure to fill it with things that he really loved. He made a huge family in the surfing and skating community, which will always miss him. Not only within the community, his loss will be felt by each and every person he has ever interacted with in his life. Our sincerest condolences are with Kalani David’s family members, friends, and loved ones. We pray to God to give strength to all of them in this tragic time. May God grant eternal peace to David’s soul and let him rest in peace.