'Larger than life'

A fundraiser is underway to help the family of a man who passed away unexpectedly.

Seth Farwell, owner and operator of Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Coeur d’Alene, died Oct. 1 due to post surgery complications.

Rebekah Hernandez, whose son was coached by Farwell, said he was a generous man with a kind heart.

“He treated everybody like family the first time they met him,” she said Monday.

Farwell leaves behind a wife and son.

The “Seth Farwell Memorial Fund” has been started on GoFundMe. It has already raised nearly $6,000.

“The Legend of Seth Farwell will live on in the lives he has touched,” it says on the fund site.

Hernandez said Renzo Grace was popular and parents and kids were fans of Farwell, a decorated Navy SEAL.

Farwell and Brian Marvin started the jiu-jitsu school in 2017 for kids 6 to 16 and adults. The goal of the school was to help youth “experience and understand core values like focus, discipline, persistence, cooperation and respect.”

It had about 125 students. Jason Rebsch was an instructor with Farwell.

Marvin said the school will remain open. He is headed to Coeur d’Alene for a fundraiser at the academy, 212 E. Spruce St., from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. It will include jiu-jitsu demonstrations and auction items.

Farwell was described as a “larger than life guy” who was passionate about Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the Navy SEAL community.

“He was a pretty amazing guy,” Hernandez said. “Our community lost a real big person.”

Marvin knew Farwell about eight years, coached him in jiu-jitsu and earned his black belt last July. He said Farwell did amazing things for youth and the community.

Marvin said while Farwell had a hard exterior, he was one of the “nicest, kindest souls you ever wanted to meet.”

Farwell went out of his way to help others, even those he really didn’t know well.

Marvin called him an “amazing human being and soul.”

“Loyalty was second to nothing to him,” Marvin said. “He would take the shirt off his back for you.”