The community celebration of Braun Levi, a star tennis player at Loyola High School, takes place as a Loyola High School star tennis player who was fatally injured by a disabled driver in Manhattan Beach, whose family moved after losing their home in the Pallisard fire.
Levi, 18, was walking along the 100 block of South Sepulveda Boulevard with a friend around 12:45am on a Sunday. He was taken to the hospital where he died.
According to Manhattan Beach Police, 33-year-old Jenia Resha Belt was arrested at the scene on suspicion of DUI.
Found in the street by responding officers, Levi ranks tennis nationwide, and his family said he was tied up at the University of Virginia.
The family of the young man had moved to Manhattan Beach after the Palisade home in the Pacific Ocean was destroyed by the Palisade fire in January.
“Brown was a shining presence in our Loyola family and brought light, joy and inspiration to everyone he touched,” Loyola High School posted on its website. ”
Leaders and student-athletes are student council members, senior Big Brother, Cairos Retreat Leader and Volleyball Team Manager.
“Please find peace, strength and comfort in our embrace of collective love and support.”
The American Tennis Association Southern California stated, “There was a way to brighten up every room he walked. He sparkled. His sportsmanship never wavered. And his love for tennis, people and life was always evident.”
His friend and doubles partner Cooper Schwartz recalled with honor that Levy was a tennis circuit star and on-court star.
“In the tournaments we played together, Brown was a celebrity,” Schwartz said. At Ojai Invitational, I lost a count of how many kids came out just to say hello to him. Brown was a royal family in Sosar Tennis, everyone knew him and everyone loved him.”
“I said about Levi, ‘There was something special about it,” said Lexi Wolf, a friend and occasional mixed double partner.
“He brightened up all the courts and brought this energy that made you feel like you were seen, encouraged and important no matter who you were,” Wolf said in a USTA tribute. “It became like the kind of person he was.
Saturday night’s celebration of life takes place at Loyola High School’s Haiden Circle, followed by a reception.
Belt remains in jail without bail, but has not yet been charged in connection with Levi’s death.
Records show that the belt was driving at the time under a suspended license due to the previous DUI arrest in November 2023.
According to court records, she did not contest the hit and run charges in September 2024, based on her contract with a prosecutor placed in a year of probation.
She is scheduled to appear in court on May 28th of Inglewood, in that case, due to a possible probation violation.
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