The tragic death of Yugioh creator Kazuki Takahashi happened on July 4th and not much was revealed about the passing of the beloved author until now. In an interview with Stars and Stripes Maj. Robert Bourgeau a US Deputy stationed in Japan at the time recounts the events that led to the Yu-Gi-Oh! authors death.
2 pm at Mermaid’s Grotto in Onna, Okinawa on July 4th, Bourgeau, a scuba diving instructor, was meeting a pair of students. It was then that Bourgeau spotted a woman calling for help, the conditions in the water were really rough, and he could see the woman pointing at her 11-year-old daughter, and a U.S. soldier, 39, who were both trapped in a rip current 100 yards offshore. The rip current mixed with six-foot waves was making it impossible for the two to escape.
Bourgeau and one of his students made their way out to the 2 while the other student called for help. Bourgeau was able to bring the young girl back safely towards the shallow part of the water, but then he saw that the mother had now been pulled into the rip current as well. Bourgeau recalls “I grabbed mom and I grabbed [the girl] and I just kicked for all life,”.
It was at this point that Takahashi was seen entering the water by Bourgeau’s students. “He’s a hero,” Bourgeau said regarding Takahashi. “He died trying to save someone else.”
Bourdeau was able to get the women back to the shallows and returned for the soldier, he tried to help but ran out of energy and was faced with the tough decision of letting the soldier go. Bourgeau returned to the shallows with what little strength he had left, and from there he was able to direct the soldier out of the whirlpool and to safety.
You can read the full story on the stripe website by clicking here.
Kazuki Takahashi gave a lot to this world already and he continued to give until the day he died.