My favorite memory of PK is from last summer. In his typically urgent and frenetically stoked way, he was itching to get outside. We drove out to Index, chugged truly vile energy drinks, and spent the whole day romping around the lower town walls. As the light dimmed, a coal train thundered by, and an evil cloud of mosquitoes descended on us, he looked at me with a sheepish smile: “one more?” 

That night we ate cold cobbler and both fell asleep in our cars, too tired to pitch a tent.

That was one of the fullest and most exciting days I’ve spent outside. Being with someone who was so motivated and so completely grounded in a every moment was a gift that I wish I had more time to appreciate. 

My thoughts are with PK’s family every day. I know how important you all were to him, and how important he was to everyone he touched. 

I’ll never forget the first time I spent time with PK. It was for the WFR class with SC Outfitters, a group of us drove up to Northern California from LA. But PK, in true fashion, had already flown to SF, hitched a ride to Coloma, walked the rest of the way to our campsite, gathered firewood, and had a fire crackling by the time we arrived from LA. It was unreal.

I’ve never met anyone who could make the impossible seem so effortless. Whether it was heading out from the house for a “casual” 20-mile run, diving into a project he was passionate about, or studying on top of that, PK packed what felt like 48 hours of energy and memories into a single day. And he did it all with a smile, a joke, and a contagious enthusiasm that lit up every room he entered. His joyful, caring, and playful spirit made everyone around him feel welcome and free to be themselves.

I’m grateful to have known PK. Sending lots of love to everyone who shared in his light.

I met Peter our freshman year of high school, when we were both campers on the same team for the POST “Survival” camping trip. He introduced himself as “PK Rappz” and showed us the rap journal he brought to write down lyrics during the trip. His goofiness and love of adventure was infectious, and I immediately wanted to be his friend. We became close after that, both joining POST staff sophomore year and the Executive Committee our junior and senior years. On EC, he was a reliable, patient, and thoughtful leader, always fighting for what he believed would make POST a better organization, even when others disagreed.

I always admired Peter’s strong sense of self, something that I think is rare in teenagers. He was happy forging his own path and had no interest in conforming to what was “cool.” He did what he loved to do, and made it cool by doing so. One of my favorite memories is when he convinced me to be the bulldog mascot with him during the Purple and White pep rally at the end of our senior year. I would never have done something like this without Peter’s encouragement (and perhaps a little peer-pressure), but it was some of the most fun I’ve ever had. That’s what I loved about Peter, he always reminded me to not take myself too seriously, and he always had lots of fun.

Peter and I stayed close in college, as we were both in Los Angeles. During the pandemic, a group of us met in Utah to go camping, and he used the kitchenette he had built in the back of his car to cook us breakfast. He had just finished a 25-mile run from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to the South Rim. I remember him sharing lots of updates with us about Oscar and Charlie and how they were doing at Garfield. He was so proud to be their brother.

I am devastated by this loss and my heart goes out to Ginger, Bob, Sophie, Oscar, and Charlie. I cannot imagine the grief you must be feeling. Peter was a remarkable person whose legacy reminds me to live life to its fullest. We are all much better off for knowing him. 

Our family was and continues to be devastated by Peter's passing. As one of his teachers commented to us when we passed on this sad news, “Peter was the kindest and most thoughtful student I ever taught!” All of us who knew Peter could say the same about him as a person.

Our daughter Elli and Peter attended the same schools preK to 12th grade. We first had the joy of meeting Peter and the whole Kubiniec-Segel when Elli and Peter started preK at Gidden's Schoo, followed by TOPS K-8 and then Garfield High School. Unlike middle school and high school where each student has a variety of classes and teachers, from preschool to 5th grade our kids our were assigned a single teacher and classroom. At each of these grade levels there were 2 classrooms and thus there was a 50:50 chance of winding up in a given classroom each year. However pre-K to 5th grade, Peter and Elli were never in the same classroom.  The odds of this happening is 1 in 128! We were sad about this and felt rather cheated but mostly felt thankful to be part of the TOPS Community and to know Bob, Ginger, Peter, Oscar, Charlie and Sophie.

Peter’s thoughtful kindness also touched our younger son, Kiran, after he started playing the clarinet in the TOPS school band in fourth grade. Kiran liked the instrument, the music, and the band.  But, he hated to practice. Peter agreed to tutor Kiran one to two days per week. Peter would take Kiran on the bus after school to the Kubiniec house, make him a snack, tutor Kiran on the clarinet, and then entertain him until we could picked Kiran up after work. Kiran loved hanging out with all the Kubiniec boys, and Peter inspired Kiran to practice the clarinet to the point that he even joined the Cascade Youth Symphony Orchestra – an outcome that wouldn't have happened without Peter’s influence!

Our world is darker and more somber without Peter. We can't begin to imagine the grief his family must be feeling. We join with so many others in the community to add our testimony to how Peter’s kindness, thoughtfulness, and enthusiasm for life touched so many. In that way, he lives on in all of us who knew and loved Peter and still love his wonderful parents and siblings.

With deepest love,

Jai, Cat, Alan, Elli, and Kiran

I only met Peter twice, but Quinn knew him well. When we went over for dinner at his parent’s house a few years ago, he and Oscar were amazing with out much younger kids. I’ve been thinking about that memory and his good natured spirit since Quinn told me of his passing.

My heart goes out to family and friends who knew him better, my condolences to you all.