Doubles partner of fallen Loyola senior Braun Levi grieves, shares memories of friend
Braun Levi, left, with Loyola doubles partner Cooper Schwartz. Levi was killed early Sunday morning after being hit by a suspected drunk driver. (Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Cooper Schwartz didn't go to classes Monday at Loyola High School. It was just too much.
"I thought yesterday couldn't get any worse," he said by phone. "I've been crying all morning."
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His good friend and doubles partner on the tennis team, Braun Levi, was killed Sunday morning in a traffic accident in Manhattan Beach. Police say they arrested a 33-year-old Los Angeles woman on suspicion of drunk driving and homicide. Police found Levi lying in the street after the crash.
Hundreds of students and community members came to Loyola's campus Sunday night for a prayer vigil.
Few got to know Levi better than Schwartz. The two had been competing in youth tennis tournaments since they were 8, usually meeting in the finals. When Schwartz transferred to Loyola from Brentwood as a sophomore, they became doubles partners.
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"It was just natural," he said of them becoming partners.
In describing Levi, Schwartz said, "Every time you were with him, you knew you were going to get some laughter, some smiles. He always made something out of nothing. He was just having a great time every time."
Both lived in Pacific Palisades and lost their homes to the Palisades fire. Schwartz spent more than a week living with Levi after the fire. Their experiences were the same.
"You're up all night and no one knows what to do about insurance," he said. "Your family is dealing with the same things and you don't know what to do."
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Both families moved — Levi to Hermosa Beach and Schwartz to Century City. The two seniors were closing in on graduation and had teamed to win the Mission League doubles title last week. Levi was team captain, a four-year standout and set to attend Virginia.
Read more: Loyola High School tennis star, 'a shining presence,' killed in Manhattan Beach crash; DUI suspect arrested
Schwartz said Levi checked in with him Saturday night in a courtesy phone call, friend speaking to friend. Loyola had just learned its seeding for the Southern Section Open Division tennis playoffs that are scheduled to begin Friday. Then came news of the tragedy.
"To be honest, picking up a tennis racket is the last thing I want to do right now," Schwartz said. "I know Braun would want me to play, but if I'm not playing with Braun, I'm not playing. He's who I warmed up with every single match, every single practice. Having that last win is something I don't want to tarnish."
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Loyola's tennis team got together Monday for the first time since the tragedy. Players are grieving. No decision has been made about playing Friday.
Schwartz intends to remember Levi the best way he can.
"Braun was first my friend on the court, but then was my friend off the court," he said.
He has more tears to shed as he tries to make sense of something that doesn't make sense.
Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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