Remembering
Richard Hiroshi O'Brien

12/16/1990 - 2/13/2010

Remembering Richard

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Richard was a friend to our two oldest daughters, Ally and Emma, during their high school years. They were all members of the Davis High School Ski Team. This team was very competitive, winning the California High School State Ski championships three of Ally's four years on the team. Richard was the top racer on the team and inspired so many through example. He was a natural leader and an all-around great person. People gravitated to Richard and he made everybody feel comfortable and accepted. We were so happy to hear that Richard was going to Whitman College to pursue his studies and ski on the college ski team. We were devastated to hear just a few months later that Richard had died in a ski accident. His life, although cut tragically short, has served as an inspiration to so many. We left for Africa later that year, and as we started working in the community, Richard's life and example continued to serve as inspiration and motivation. Richard Hiroshi O'Brien continues to serve as an inspiration to us and to all of the staff and members at RHO Appleseed Community Centers. 
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Racing for the Davis High School Ski Team.

In the News: Click here to check out the article in the Davis Enterprise about RHO Appleseed and Richard Hiroshi O'Brien!

Richard Hiroshi O’Brien

Son of Lisa Yamauchi and Michael O'Brien, of Davis, died Saturday, February 13, 2010 in a skiing accident, in Dayton, Washington. He was nineteen years old. Born in Woodland, on December 16, 1990, Richard moved with his family to Davis in 1994. He attended Davis High School where he played alto saxophone for the jazz band and competed as an avid member of the ski team. Blessed with a special ability to connect with children, Richard tutored students at Davis Bridge, and also volunteered at Grace in Action, a ministry serving the homeless. He graduated from Davis High School in 2009. At the time of his death, Richard was a freshman at Whitman College, in Walla Walla, Washington. A beloved fellow student and member of the Whitman ski team, Richard made an impact on the campus in inverse proportion to his short time there. At a memorial service organized by the students in his honor, hundreds gathered to eulogize him as an inspirational figure. Richard lived his life with an exuberance and kindness that touched the lives of all those he met. A memorial service will be held on February 27th, at 11 a.m., at Freeborn Hall, UC Davis. A reception will immediately follow the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Davis Bridge Educational Foundation, 1400 East 8th Street, Davis, CA., 95616. Richard Hiroshi O'Brien is survived by his maternal grandfather, Hiroshi Yamauchi of Woodland; his maternal grandmother Jerrie O'Brien, of Auburn; his parents, Lisa Yamauchi and Michael O'Brien, of Davis; and his brother, Kevin O'Brien, of Davis.

(Richard’s Obituary as it appeared in the Sacramento Bee)