Yu Chen Remembrance Fund

On May 31, 2017, Yu Chen was killed by the propellers of a powerboat while windsurfing on Lake Mendota in Madison, Wisconsin. He was 43 years old.

Yu was an outstanding windsurfer and teacher and renowned medical researcher. His generosity and kindness were recognized throughout the University of Wisconsin Hoofer Sailing Club, the local Chinese community, and his world-wide network of friends and colleagues.

Yu's windsurfing friends Jane Foster, Ken Smith, and Pete Mooney have started this fund to cover the costs of:



Listen to Yu singing on YouTube:

Note:

GoFundMe deducts a service charge of 2.9% + $0.30 per credit or debit card donation.

You can contact Pete Mooney, by using the contact information shown on this page, if you prefer to donate via a method other than GoFundMe. (E.g. Zelle, Venmo)

Pedro Guinsburg wrote these remarks shortly after his death:

The Hoofer's season had just started and every day would be a blue flag day (heavy air, extreme conditions). From one blue flag sailor to another, the season seemed to be starting and all the gang would be united one more time: Aki, Azi, Neil, Kyle, Magnus, Chamond and Yu were the usual masters around but some new faces were present: me, Jithanie, Steve, Jia, Erin, Rachel and many others.

I use here the term "masters" because they are not only the instructors of the instructors but mostly because they can tell wonderful stories about being on the lake, they can teach us how to nail a move, and they are generous with their knowledge. From them we get a lot of knowledge and wisdom while we talk with the lake on a windy day,. We begin to embrace the very spirit of the windsurfing fleet. This set of people are responsible for an education in sailing, passing on what it is to be out there, and how to come back.

As I was getting better last season, I was reaching more and more to Yu, who I considered to be the master of the masters in the club. Yu was this person, and I had sensed right away, who exuded humbleness and comfort. That his soul has something else. It is not rationalizable. Talking to Chen Yu (which only later I discovered, is the way we should say his name) was instantaneously like talking to an old friend. It was easy, there was no ego involved, just the desire to chat about windsurfing and to help others. Talking to Yu, one could witness a soul that had very few unresolved problems and was eager to help others in our struggle through life, sometimes with only a truthful smile.

The beginning of the season had been intense, with many of us constantly on the water, including Yu. Lots of wind and cold water. In order to have a complete, effortless ride on the lake, a sailor must be able to jibe, and doing this maneuver was my goal for the season. I had been trying and almost making the move. Yu was helping me, generously foregoing the waning daylight or wind to mentor me.

On Tuesday, a Blue Flag day, Yu spent a long time giving tips to me and Rachel on jibes and smaller boards. Yu would choose his words, and his eye and body movements carefully. "Clew first, yes. Clew first." That was exactly what was missing. He also mentioned how Rachel and I had been improving and I could see that he was really happy about it.

On Wednesday, a Blue Flag day, I had to teach at 5 pm. Right before the class, I wanted to go for a couple of rides, but to make the class, I would need to successfully execute jibes. I launched at 4:20 pm, reached the yellow line and came back with a perfect, planing jibe. I was back at the pier at 4:30 pm. I was so happy about the ride; I was exhilarated.

Now that I had everything rigged I decided to take a bigger gamble by going for another ride. I encountered Yu in the mooring field, coming back as I went out. I was in a hurry, with my tight schedule and called out, "Yu, I am going out for a ride!"

Even though he couldn’t hear my words, our eyes met and he shared my joy with a caring smile. He stopped paying attention to his sailing and looked back at me. While I was out there I felt something strange, a sudden pounding in my heart. I felt weak, got really scared and then decided to jibe and come back. I was frightened, but I nailed the jibe and came back to teach my class.

That was the last time I saw my master. Yu had become a free spirit.

THE END