24-year-old pro champion surfer has seizure and dies while surfing in Costa Rica

Professional surfer Kalani David suffered a seizure and died aged 24 while practicing off the coast of Costa Rica.

Kahani David, a 24-year-old professional surfing champion from Hawaii reportedly died while practising his sport in the sea off the coast of Costa Rica.

As reported today, Monday, September 19, by the celebrity news outlet TMZ, the Costa Rica Judicial Investigation Department informed AP News that David was: “surfing when he apparently suffered some kind of epileptic seizure and drowned. The death is still under investigation”.

Posting on his Instagram profile, Kelly Slater, the legendary record-breaking American surfer described David as “one of the most talented surfer/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 across the globe”.

David apparently had a medical condition called Wolff-Parkinson-White, which affects how the heart beats. It can speed up the heart rate and cause seizures or even paralysis in some cases. He previously suffered a seizure back in 2016 while skating in Oceanside California.

In 2012 the young athlete became the Junior World Surfing champion and went on to also compete in skating competitions and events.

His mother Andrea revealed this Sunday, September 18, that she needs help repatriating her son’s body from Costa Rica. She has opened a GoFundMe page to try and raise the funds required. Her intention is to bury him beside his grandfather.

David’s mother, Andrea, launched a GoFundMe on Sunday … saying she needs help getting his body back to the states so she can bury him in Florida next to his grandfather in Florida. “Our son is laying in wait at a morgue in San Jose, Costa Rica”, Andrea wrote on the funding page.

She continued: “He deserved more than I could ever give him and I don’t even feel right for asking but I will for Kalani. I don’t want my son in a jar or spread on the water, as I would see fit for myself”.

“I want to give him a place you can go see him and know he is listening when you share your feelings with him. I love you Kalani! This world will never be the same without you”, his mother concluded.

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