A student with a sarcastic sense of humor and a love of the
little things in life, Brian Chao died Monday of complications
resulting from pancreatitis. He was 21.
Chao’s cousin, Jeff, said Chao had drinks in Torrance
after eating dinner in Santa Monica with friends on Saturday.
After experiencing chest pains early the next morning, Chao was
admitted to the emergency room at UCLA Medical Center, Jeff
said.
He was diagnosed with pancreatitis ““Â acute
inflammation of the pancreas ““ and was transferred to the
hospital’s intensive care unit, where he became more
stable.
However, by about 5 a.m. Monday morning, Chao’s condition
worsened and he died, Jeff said.
A fourth-year biology student and Los Angeles area native, Chao
entered UCLA with an interest in engineering. But as the years
progressed, Chao’s aspirations changed, Jeff said. He decided
he wanted to secure a job in the technology industry, so he could
“be involved in cutting-edge technology but also have a great
deal of fun.”
Liem Tran, a fourth-year applied mathematics student and
Chao’s close friend, said Chao also considered becoming a
biologist or working for his family’s Chinese herbal medicine
business.
Chao loved computers and did a lot of comparison shopping
online, searching for unique items to purchase for friends.
“He would go out of his way to think of special things he
could do for people ““ really brighten their day,” Jeff
said.
“If you had this toy that you really liked in your
childhood, he would just look it up and find it from an obscure Web
site and order it for you,” he said.
Chao frequented Tran’s apartment, where he spent time
talking and playing video games with Tran and his roommates.
Liem remembers making intricate meals with Chao, who enjoyed
both cooking and eating. The two would barbecue at Chao’s
house or prepare steak and vegetables from scratch.
“It’s kind of like our hobby. Once in a while,
we’d decide tonight’s the night ““ we’ll
cook something really grand,” said Tran, whose friendship
with Chao goes back to their high school days in Torrance.
Chao was a Los Angeles Lakers fan, and he and Tran would eat
their homemade dinners while watching Lakers games. And though Chao
did not play, he served as an honorary coach for Tran’s
intramural basketball team.
Chao was an only child, but Jeff said that when they were
growing up, Chao was “basically my little brother and best
friend.”
“He’s just a really bright and happy kind of person.
He loved Los Angeles, he loved being a UCLA student, and he was
just a person who loved enjoying life,” Jeff said.
Chao is survived by his mother and father.
Flowers and cards can be sent to the Chao family at 2055 W.
235th St., Torrance, CA 90501. For information about Chao’s
funeral service, e-mail jl_chao@yahoo.com.