Jackson James Rice, 18, tragically died in a freak diving accident just weeks before his scheduled Olympic debut in Paris.
A rising young athlete has died in a freak accident just weeks before he was set make his debut at the Paris Olympics .
His father Darren Rice, confirmed to local media that JJ was free diving from a boat on Saturday when he died from a suspected shallow water blackout.His body was recovered from the seafloor underneath the boat at about 12:15pm by divers.JJ’s sister, Lily Rice, said her brother was “the most amazing funny unique person” who would have walked away from the Paris Olympics with a medal and an “even bigger smile”.
“I don’t even know what to say, I don’t know what to do, or what to think. I miss JJ beyond belief, I’m in shock I still can't believe it and it will take all of us who loved JJ so long to feel ok again. JJ was born in the United States to British parents, Darren and Nina Rice, who own a lodge on Ha'apai Island.
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