Family of Saint Mary’s College rugby star speaks out following sudden death

By CBS Bay Area

Dominic Peterson was in the best shape of his life, according to his family.

The 19-year-old was a sophomore rugby player at Saint Mary’s College. Established in 1888, the private college in Moraga is home to one of the top rugby programs in the country.

Dominic’s father, Robert Peterson, said Dominic spent “all summer running every hill in our neighborhood” before he moved into his dorm on August 30.

Five days later, Dominic died after collapsing during a two-mile training run with his teammates in Moraga.

On Monday, Robert and the Peterson family were still searching for answers.

“At this point, we don’t actually know the technical component of his passing, so that’s something we have great interest in because he was such a fit kid,” Robert said. “He was amongst the fittest on a very fit team.”

Dominic’s dream was to play rugby on the global stage, and his success in the sport already took him to compete in Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. He was also selected as one of the best rugby players nationwide under 19.

Ken Flax, a retired U.S.A. Olympian and family friend, said he observed Dominic train for years with elite determination.

“Because of my background, I’ve seen a lot of really talented athletes in every size, shape, and form. All I can tell you is this kid had every attribute to be world-class,” Flax said. “Domo was 6’4″, 220 pounds. He’s 19 years old. The mold of a world-class athlete was there.”

Boasting an athletic frame, Dominic was the “baby” of the family, the youngest of three siblings who were all raised around sports. Valerie, 23, played beach volleyball at the University of Oregon. Brigitte, 20, played rugby with Dominic and is completing her mechanical engineering degree in Portland.

Brigitte, whose 21st birthday is in a week, and Valerie said their younger brother had the oldest soul.

For example, the three siblings use Spotify, a music streaming platform that provides annual reports showing a user’s most listened-to artists, songs, and genres.

“I remember this last year, it was like ‘The Age That Your Music Was,’ and he had gotten in the ’60s. My sister and I got 18,” Valerie said. “Me, Brigitte, and Domo are really close. Close in age, and we’ve always been taught to be a trio. Spending time together, valuing that time.”

Whether it was the Grateful Dead, reggae, or country, Dominic’s wide-ranging love for music also applied to the arts.

Rose, Dominic’s mother, said she and her husband raised their children to embrace San Francisco’s and the Bay Area’s art culture. The family had MoMA memberships, went to museums every couple of months, and went to concerts together.

“We’ve been taking the kids to shows since they were little kids with their little headphones,” Rose said. “We’d go to the city, enjoy, and talk about art. We’d have food, we’d always go around the table, and ask, ‘What was your favorite (part)?'”

Dominic also loved superheroes. (His favorite was Batman.) Now, following his tragic and sudden death, the Peterson family hopes he can be a superhero for future generations of rugby players.

“The main reason why Rob and I agreed to take this call is not only to honor Dominic, but it’s very, very important that we make sure he leaves behind a legacy,” Rose said. “We are working with St. Mary’s to set up an endowment in his name, and what he would’ve wanted is to further the sport of rugby in the U.S., particularly starting with college.”

This week, the Dominic Peterson Memorial Fund was created by the Peterson family and Saint Mary’s College. The fund will support the school’s men’s rugby program.

For the family, it’s a way to honor Dominic and the things he loved: rugby, the Gaels, and spreading the sport he dedicated his life to.

“We want to pay it forward,” Robert said. “He was genuinely a great kid. He didn’t have a bad bone in him. He was a tough (censored). He’d go to war with you, but no malice. No anger. He was a pure dude.”

Dominic also loved teaching others about rugby, which is far more popular internationally than domestically.

Zach Young, a former college track athlete at the University of Oregon, recalled learning about rugby from Dominic, whose passion was contagious.

“Domo actually spent some time trying to teach my son how to play rugby, and he was a collegiate football player,” Flax said. “Passionate. Sweet. Kind. When he looks at you with these big dimples, it’s just an all-around, top-notch kid who had an incredibly bright future.”

Every day last Friday, the Peterson family said they’ve received tremendous support from Saint Mary’s College, the school’s rugby coaches and players, and the broader rugby community.

“Today, we had to do one of the hardest things in all of this so far. We had to move (Dominic’s) stuff back out of his dorm, and the whole team shows up and is there, standing ready to do anything, feeling the pain,” Robert said on Monday. “The commitment of them to him, and him to them is part of (this).”

Last Saturday, one day after his passing, Saint Mary’s College held a memorial mass in honor of Dominic.

“The entire rugby community showed up. The church was packed. Every single rugby member sat there, came up, and hugged me, Rob, Valerie, and Brigitte. Every single one. They stood in the line, they hugged us, and said, ‘We love you,'” Rose said. “If people want to do anything or feel compelled, it’s all about (the memorial fund) in the end because, to me, his death can’t be in vain.”