DOUGLAS COUNTY, NEVADA: A dedicated father-of-four and popular football coach has tragically died after drowning in a violent jet-ski accident during his family’s first trip to Lake Tahoe. Bill Siu and his wife, Alexie, were vacationing with their children, Kanoah, Melana, Ziggy and Rico, on Saturday, July 29, when they decided to try jet skiing on the calm waters of the lake.
The couple had only traveled a short way when strong winds and violent waves suddenly knocked them off the watercraft. "The water took us under, and we were just trying to get to each other. I was just telling him to be calm, stay calm, keep your head above the water,” Alexie said according to The Mirror. After getting separated, she immediately swam toward her husband, who was seen panicking in the water. Siu was found unresponsive when the Washoe County Sheriff's Office, the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, the United States Coast Guard and Sand Harbor lifeguards arrived at the scene around 4.10 pm.
Who was Bill Siu?
Siu was rushed to a hospital in Sand Harbor, Nevada, where he was pronounced dead hours later. Alexie remembered him as a “family man” who loved coaching and bringing people together. “Everyone that I’ve talked to always says that he always had a smile on his face,” Alexie told SFGate, adding, “That’s how much he’s made connections within the community.” Hailing from California, Siu was the head coach of the 2022 league winner Clayton Valley Eagles, a football club that included his son Kanoah, according to a GoFundMe page set up to raise funds for the devastated family.
“A Raider fan through and through, his booming black and silver truck represented his colors,” fundraiser organizer Valerie Francisco wrote on the page. “Bill was a coach at P2P Transformation Center in Concord, where he shared his love of fitness, impacting the lives of hundreds of people’s journeys towards health goals. Bill loved reggae music and taking trips to bring his family to see new sights. Bill loved learning about new ideas, skills, and sports,” Francisco added. She concluded the post by pleading for contributions to support Siu's family. “We need your help with the costs of Bill's emergency medical care and funeral and memorial expenses for his family,” the page read.
Similar incident
The Clayton Valley Athletic Association also paid a moving tribute to Siu with an emotional post, that read, "Our thoughts and prayers go out to Pee Wee Coach Bill’s family during this difficult time. Rest In Peace.” A vigil was organized on Thursday night, August 3, at 8.30 p.m. at Clayton Valley High School.
Siu's death comes a few days after Roy Herron, a longtime Tennessee state lawmaker and former chairperson of the state Democratic Party, died from injuries sustained in a jet-ski accident. Herron reportedly died at Vanderbilt Medical Center, where he had been hospitalized after the accident happened on July 1. He had reportedly collided with another jet ski on Kentucky Lake.
