Tragedy: BYU Lineman Killed in Freak Construction Accident
Brigham Young University offensive lineman Sione Veikoso was killed in a construction accident in his hometown in Hawaii, family members said.
Veikoso, 22, died Friday after a retaining wall he was helping repair during holiday break from school collapsed, his family confirmed.
The Honolulu Fire Department reported that three others were injured when the 15-foot rock wall partially fell behind a home in Kailua, which is about 12 miles northeast of Honolulu.
“He was a gentle giant who loved his family. He was reliable and caring,” Veikoso’s cousin Joshua Kava said in a written statement to Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
The 6-foot-7, 305-pound lineman had completed his first season at Brigham Young, where he transferred after one year at Arizona State, while retaining four years of football eligibility.
Firefighters arrived at the home just before noon Friday to find the collapsed wall and bystanders using a small excavator to remove rocks trapping the men.
Rescuers called them off because of the wall’s instability and manually removed rocks to free two of the men in about 15 minutes. Tragically, Veikoso was trapped deeper.
He was removed about 12:30 p.m. and was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:35 p.m.
The homeowner told authorities she was having the stone wall repaired.
A total of six people were at the scene.
One man escaped the rubble before firefighters arrived but refused treatment and two were uninjured.
“Rest in Love Sione. God be with you till we meet again,” BYU football said in a tweet.
On behalf of the entire BYU Football family, our thoughts and prayers are with Sione’s family and friends during this extremely difficult time.
Rest in Love Sione. God be with you till we meet again. pic.twitter.com/Bn0oW4kylY
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) December 31, 2022
After high school, Veikoso spent two years as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Manaus, Brazil, before enrolling in college.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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