ERIE, PA. (THECOUNT) — Erie SeaWolves catcher Chace Kekoa Kenji Numata has died in a hospital after suffering a skateboarding accident on Friday, his family announced Monday.
“Chace Numata,” 27, died from injuries he suffered in a skateboarding accident on Friday morning.
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The family issued the following statement:
“It is with deep sorrow that the Numata Ohana announces that Chace Kekoa Kenji Numata, our beloved son, brother, and a friend to all, has passed away on September 2nd, 2019. Chace was a 27 year old, switch-hitting catcher from Pearl City, Hawaii that was blessed with the opportunity to professionally play the sport he loved for the Phillies, Yankees, and Tigers organizations for over ten seasons. Everyone who was around Chace knew there was never a stranger in the room when he was there. It didn’t matter if you were a professional athlete or young child, he made sure to make everyone feel comfortable and welcomed. His smile was contagious, unrelenting, and never ending, while his personality could light up any environment he would be in. Our family would like to say Mahalo nui loa to everyone who prayed for, thought of, and acknowledged Chace during this difficult time. We heard you and we appreciate you all from the bottom of our hearts! #FORNUMI”, reports GoErie.
Numata was borning and attended school in Pearl City, HI, before joining the SeaWolves.
He died from injuries he suffered in a skateboarding accident in downtown Erie and had been fighting for his life in the hospital over the past five days. The Numata family was able to get to Erie from Hawaii over the weekend.
“The Detroit Tigers are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Chace Numata, who was a catcher for our Double-A affiliate in Erie. Though this was his first year with our organization, Chace was beloved by many from our Major League club through all levels of our player development system. He had an engaging personality that quickly established him as a leader on and off the field, and his presence will be forever remembered in our organization and beyond. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, teammates and coaches.” the Tigers said in a statement.
“The Erie SeaWolves are heartbroken and deeply saddened by the passing of Chace Numata,” said SeaWolves owner Fernando Aguirre in a statement. “Chace was a leader, an outstanding teammate, a friend to many, and his personality was positive and infectious. He made everyone he met feel welcome, and he had a very positive impact throughout the SeaWolves organization and the Erie community. We extend our sympathies to the Numata Ohana and have them in our thoughts and prayers. RIP Chace.”
Geo quick facts: Erie is a city in Pennsylvania, on Lake Erie. Presque Isle State Park, a peninsula with beaches and trails, curves around Presque Isle Bay. Nearby, Waldameer Park & Water World has roller coasters and waterslides. The Erie Maritime Museum traces the history of Lake Erie and is the home port of the US Brig Niagara, an updated 19th-century ship. The Erie Art Museum’s art collection features 20th-century works – wikipedia.