Friends, family seek support for recovery of 16-year-old Hawaii swim champ

HONOLULU—Sixteen-year-old Pearl City High School swimming star Daren Choi suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury after falling 15 feet off a rock into shallow water while sightseeing in Western Samoa with a group of elite Hawaii swimmers on June 28.

Quick thinking by Choi’s teammates may have saved his life. 

The star athlete was part of a travel group of 12 of Hawaii’s fastest swimmers (6 girls, 6 boys), Kamehameha Swim Club coaches Kevin Flanagan and Lisa Johnson, and UH head swimming coach Victor Wales.

With 3 medals, Choi was the most decorated individual Hawaii athlete among competitors from 13 different countries at the 8th Annual Oceania Swimming Championships in Western Samoa.

Choi had placed third in three events—the 50, 100, and 200 back—recording his personal best times and also achieving highly-coveted U.S. National times in each event for the first time in his career. The 16-year old achieved those marks in competition against 19- and 20-year olds who are headed for the upcoming Olympic trials.

Earlier this year, as a Pearl City High School sophomore, Choi set records in the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly at the OIA West Division Championships and broke records that had stood since 1987 in the 50 and 100 free at the OIA Championships.

On June 28, after the conclusion of the international competition in Western Samoa, the group of Hawaii swimmers from the Kamehameha Swim Club traveled to Savaii island for a sightseeing tour where Choi fell 15 feet off a rock into shallow water, fracturing his spinal cord in several areas. Choi quickly awoke, but found himself face down in the water and unable to move his arms or legs. Fortunately, Choi’s teammates took quick action to get to him quickly to turn him over and save their friend from drowning.

Choi’s medical journey hit a stall before it could even begin. By the time the teen arrived at the local hospital, the only transport off the remote island had already left for the day. So Choi spent the night in a makeshift hospital before being flown to Samoa’s Apia National Hospital where the only MRI machine hadn’t been working for more than a month. Two days later, Choi was transported via Medevac to Auckland, New Zealand where he spent more than a week and a half enduring agonizing stress, paperwork, and delays. Choi’s family was finally able to secure medical release and transport from New Zealand home to Honolulu on July 7.

Doctors in Honolulu have been unable to give a prognosis and are still awaiting the original films from New Zealand to determine Choi’s progress.

Choi’s family and friends are hopeful. But they know his recovery won’t be speedy. In serious injuries like this, recovery can take months. The family expects swelling to the injured area to last up to 6 months to a year.

In two weeks since the injury, Choi has already begun to regain some feeling and mobility in both arms, his right leg, and three of the toes on his left foot.

Medical bills for local and international hospital, medevac and nursing expenses, travel expenses for the family, and surgery and rehabilitation costs have added up for the Choi family.

The Kamehameha Swim Club has set up a fund to assist the Choi family and support Daren’s recovery.

Donations will be accepted in cash and checks made payable to: “KSC Friends of Daren Choi” at all branches of First Hawaiian Bank (Account # 01-086065).

For more information, contact Kanoe Naone at (808) 277-7220.