Dominic Peterson, a sophomore at St. Mary\u2019s College in Moraga, died this Friday after experiencing a medical emergency during a training run with his rugby teammates. Now, his community is remembering him for his outstanding character on and off the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was just a quality young man, he was a delightful human, he had everything going for him,\u201d said David Pool, head of USA Youth and High School Rugby and a friend of Peterson\u2019s. \u201cIt\u2019s just indescribable. It\u2019s just a terrible, terrible tragedy.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Tim O\u2019Brien, head coach at St. Mary\u2019s College Rugby, Peterson was on a two-mile training run when he suddenly collapsed. Mario Storti, a former player who now works with the team, was nearby and began to administer CPR before EMTs arrived. Peterson was taken to a local hospital where he died. O\u2019Brien said that the autopsy report has not yet been completed.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was an up-and-comer, he was hitting higher highs,\u201d said O\u2019Brien. \u201cHow does a 19-year-old guy at the top of fitness all of a sudden die? It\u2019s hard to describe\u201d<\/p>\n
The son of a rugby coach, Peterson had played for years. As a player, he had been co-captain of a squad that played internationally, had won the national All-Star Tournament three years in a row and had been selected for the national Under-19 squad that won the Rugby Americas North Championship.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had all the hallmarks of someone who would be progressing to play internationally at some point in his career,\u201d said Adriaan Ferris, director of California Grizzlies Rugby, who coached Peterson for years and described Peterson as hardworking, humble and fearless. Pool added that Peterson was a natural leader who could motivate others and inspire them to follow.<\/p>\n
Storti recalls a game where Peterson was asked to sub in for an older player while he was still a freshman. Partway through the game, \u201che looked a bit hurt with his shoulder, but he wouldn\u2019t tell anybody, and he just kept on grinding through it,\u201d recalled Storti. While Peterson played half the game, it wasn\u2019t until later that the team found out he had fractured his collarbone and still played. \u201cThe amount of grit and just overall love, not only for the game, but for the team really speaks loud about him,\u201d said Storti. \u201cHe\u2019s an amazing guy, tough as nails, but still would always smile.\u201d<\/p>\n
As much as those who knew him admired him as a player, they spoke universally about his character.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the end of the day, that\u2019s what matters,\u201d said Matthew Abbes, St. Mary\u2019s Rugby team captain. \u201cIt\u2019s who you are as a person that\u2019s more important than what defines you on the field.\u201d<\/p>\n
Peterson played the same position as Abbes, so they worked closely together since Peterson joined the squad. Abbes described him as \u201cone of the best kids I ever met by a longshot,\u201d noting that he was always smiling, that he never took out his anger on others or made fun of others \u2014 even as a joke, and would lift people up if they were having a bad day.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was just always friendly and he would make other players feel welcome. He made other players better around him,\u201d said Ferris. \u201cHe was kind and respectful to everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Ferris, that really meant everyone. Ferris recalls that Peterson would help up opposing team members after tackling them and would even complement opposing teams after particularly good shots. \u201cI mean, it\u2019s hard to dislike someone who smiles at you after they smash you,\u201d he said. \u201cHe would pick them up off the floor and say \u2018hey, good effort.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
O\u2019Brien said he has seen an outpouring of over a hundred messages following Peterson\u2019s death. St. Mary\u2019s College put together a mass for Peterson on Saturday where people were packed \u201cshoulder to shoulder,\u201d noted O\u2019Brien.<\/p>\n
At the mass and on social media, friends and organizations sent outpourings of posts and messages testifying to Peterson\u2019s character and \u201ccontagious\u201d smile, with those in the tight-knit rugby community from St.Mary\u2019s and beyond mourning his loss and celebrating his life.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes words fail me,\u201d said Pool. \u201cI know how many lives he touched. I know how people cared about him, and I feel for everybody because it\u2019s just very, very sad.\u201d<\/p>\n