|
April 26, 2004,
Vol. 74, No. 14S
 |
| TRAGIC
LOSS: EECS alum Nicholas Ng ’96 died
after a seizure last year during the annual Bay to Breakers race.
The doctors said the healthy-seeming Ng died because his body had
problems processing potassium. |
Friends
cross the finish line in honor of alum who died during Bay to Breakers
race
Three days before EECS alum Nicholas Ng (B.S.’96) died during
last year’s Bay to Breakers race, he went on a vigorous 15-mile
bike ride with his college buddy Cliff Lin. Ng was in great shape. He
worked out, snowboarded, skied and rode mountain bikes. He had a degree
from Cal, an M.B.A. from UCLA, a new engineering job at Altera and his
whole life ahead of him.
Last May the unthinkable happened during the race. While he had no
alcohol in his system and was running at a moderate pace, Ng collapsed
and had a seizure in the last half mile of the 7.5-mile course. He died
on his way to the hospital, leaving shocked and grief-stricken family
and friends behind.
To keep Ng’s memory alive, his parents have established a memorial
fund in his honor that benefits EECS. A plaque with Ng’s name was
installed in the Garbarini Lounge.
Ng’s friends have also come together to remember him. Cliff Lin,
who studied ME for three years at Cal but graduated with an economics
degree, was Ng’s fraternity brother in Pi Alpha Phi. He is organizing
a group to run the race this year in Ng’s honor, to symbolically
finish the race for him. With the event one month away, more than 50
people have signed up so far, and Lin expects more to join.
“It’ll be the one-year anniversary of his death, and since
Nick always liked to finish what he started, we wanted to do it for
him,” says Lin.
Lin say Ng was an upbeat guy with a love for travel and a goofy, infectious
laugh.
“He was always the sober guy in the fraternity, so he always became
the designated driver,” laughs Lin.
|
