BROOKFIELD, Wis — It's been five months since a small plane crash took the life of the 18-year-old pilot, Daniel Perelman.
On Saturday, family and friends preserved his memory through a new annual event, highlighting one of his passions.
The first annual Daniel Perelman Memorial Wisconsin Rapid State Championship took place in Brookfield and hosted 115 players from across the state.
“This was one of Daniel’s passions,” said his father, Benny Perelman. “This is how he grew up and this was a big part of how his character developed.”
The tournament was hosted by Power of Pawns, an organization focused on spreading knowledge of chess to younger generations. Krish Sharma took the lead in organizing the event in honor of his friend and former competitor.
“Everything [Daniel] contributed to this community and chess in general we’re trying to encapsulate in this event,” Sharma said. “He was such a caring and kind individual. We think about him every day and try to be as good as we can because we know that he was going to be really great.”
Shirts with the Perelman family’s nonprofit ‘Daniel Gives Back’ filled the room. Benny Perelman said creating the non-profit and events like these were a natural reaction to preserve Daniel’s memory and legacy.
Among the tables of players and pawns at Saturday’s competition, chess board number one was reserved for Daniel.
“I really go back and remember all the long weekends and days that I spent with him, and we spent with him as a family, during chess tournaments and how you see the character evolving,” said Mr. Perelman. “One of the things you learn is that winning is fun, but from losing you learn much more.”
If you are interested in donating to Daniel Gives Back, you can visit their website here.
They will also be hosting a blood drive with Versiti Blood Centers on December 22nd.
