Global Courant
A San Jose couple’s Hawaiian honeymoon ended in tragedy on the island of Oahu this month.
Steven Phan, 49, had been married for three months when he and his new wife, Brittany, traveled to the islands to celebrate their nuptials. Phan, an avid traveler, disappeared June 1 while snorkeling at Electric Beach, a popular destination on southwest Oahu, 25 miles from Honolulu.
A spearfisherman pulled Phan to shore and bystanders performed CPR before first responders arrived. according to KITV in Honolulu.
As this unfolded, the couple’s rental car – containing their mobile phones, money and clothing – was stolen.
“People, they don’t have the decency, the integrity, it’s just morality I think,” John Titchen, chief of Honolulu’s Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division, told KITV.
From Sunday evening a GoFundMe page had raised over $20,000 for Phan’s memorial services. His funeral is scheduled for Tuesday in suburban San Jose.
A refugee from the Vietnam War, Phan was a baby when his family moved to Santa Ana. He graduated with a degree in political science from UC Irvine and most recently served as a senior manager at Apple.
He enjoyed playing golf with friends, cooking for the holidays and, he says, looking after his three rescue dogs obituary.
In January 2021, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Phan’s world brightened up when he met Brittany.
“They intertwined their lives and built something beautiful,” Phan’s obituary reads. “They passionately supported each other’s causes, traveled often, and celebrated two wedding ceremonies in San Francisco, California and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. They laughed, dreamed of their future together and hoped to grow their family. Friends commented on how she made him glow and he made her shine.
