by Kofi Oppong Kyekyeku, Face2FaceAfrica.com
Peter Westbrook, the first Black American fencer to win an Olympic medal and a dedicated mentor to underserved youth in New York, has passed away at the age of 72. His death, attributed to complications from cancer, was announced on Friday by the Peter Westbrook Foundation.
“It is with profound grief that we announce the death of the Founder and CEO of the Peter Westbrook Foundation, Peter Westbrook,” read a statement shared on Instagram by Robert Cottingham, the foundation’s Board Chair. “Peter passed peacefully, surrounded by family, after a long and valiant battle with cancer.”
Westbrook made history at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, winning a bronze medal in individual saber—marking the first Olympic fencing medal for a Black American and the first for any American in 36 years. A five-time Olympian, he competed from the 1976 Montreal Games to the 1996 Atlanta Games and was later inducted into the United States Fencing Hall of Fame.
Beyond his athletic achievements, Westbrook’s legacy as a coach and mentor is equally remarkable. In 1991, he founded the Peter Westbrook Foundation (PWF) to provide fencing training and mentorship to underserved youth, nurturing the talents of seven Olympians. Among them, Lauren Scruggs, who competed with PWF, earned gold in women’s team foil and silver in individual women’s foil at the most recent Olympics.
“Peter was not only the leader of this organization; he was the consummate embodiment of dedication to athletic excellence, civic engagement, and youth mentorship,” the PWF statement added. “His inimitable spirit and unwavering dedication to cultivating scholar-athletes will be deeply missed.”
In Loving Memory of Peter J. Westbrook, April 16, 1952 – November 29, 2024
It is with profound grief that we announce the death of the Founder and CEO of the Peter Westbrook Foundation, Peter Westbrook, at the age of 72. While surrounded by family, Peter passed peacefully due to complications after a long and valiant battle with cancer.
Peter was not only the leader of this organization; he was the consummate embodiment of dedication to athletic excellence, civic engagement, and youth mentorship. His inimitable spirit will be greatly missed by all of the athletes, families and staff of PWF.
Peter’s unyielding dedication to cultivating scholar-athletes was demonstrative of his life’s purpose. As a thirteen-time U.S. National Men’s Sabre Champion and six-time Olympian, Peter set a standard of excellence for every student and the staff. Through the Peter Westbrook Foundation he fostered the talent of seven Olympians. Additionally, he served on the Board of Directors of the U.S. Olympic Committee and testified before the US Senate and House of Representatives on the value of sports in providing opportunities for personal growth, self-discipline, and accomplishments.
We will forever be grateful for his vision and mission. We will miss his zeal for the sport and its next generation. Peter’s legacy will live on for generations in the impact on and of each of the PWF students.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Susann, stepson Dorian Miles, Sr, sister Vivian, grandchildren, and extended family.
With love and immense gratitude,
Robert Cottingham
Chair of Board
For more information, please contact:
The Peter Westbrook Foundation at info@peterwestbrook.org
Corinne E. Cater, Esq., Family Spokesperson
cater@thecaterfirm.com
Born in Kansas City on April 16, 1952, to a Black American father and a Japanese mother, Mariko Wada-Westbrook, Peter was raised in Newark, New Jersey. His mother, determined to keep him focused, introduced him to fencing, which ultimately earned him a scholarship to New York University. There, he won the 1973 NCAA sabre championship, launching a distinguished international career.
Westbrook also served on the U.S. Olympic Committee Board of Directors and advocated for sports as a tool for personal growth in testimony before the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
He is survived by his wife, Susann; stepson, Dorian Miles, Sr.; sister, Vivian; grandchildren; and extended family.
Details about funeral services have not yet been announced, Corinne Cater, a family spokesperson told USA TODAY.