Hunter Scott Venturelli

Beloved son, brother, cousin, friend and teammate Hunter Scott Venturelli passed away from accidental poisoning at his home in Denver, Colorado, on June 27.

Hunter was raised in Pacific Palisades and attended Brentwood School and Palisades Charter High School, as a Dean’s List scholar. He was a mid-fielder on the varsity lacrosse team in which they were City Section champions. While in high school, he also played in the Pacific Palisades Basketball League and the Tomahawks Club Lacrosse team.

Hunter recently moved to Denver, Colorado, and received his certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He loved being a personal trainer/nutritional advisor. Helping people reach their personal goals made him feel fulfilled and happy. His clients used to look forward to seeing him in the gym as he “was the light and the spark in the room.”

For fun, he played in two Colorado basketball leagues and regularly cooked healthy gourmet dinners at his apartment. He found joy in surfing, snowboarding and watching sports.

He was a leader among his friends for his charismatic and caring personality. Many friends considered Hunter the person they would turn to if they needed someone to confide in. Among his 12 cousins, he was the one everyone was excited to spend time with.

For 29 years, those that knew him have been blessed with his contagious laughter, zest for adventure, comforting hugs, an empathetic ear and witness to quite a few mischievous dares. He was known for his skateboarding tricks, like jumping down the 12-stair in Brentwood.

Hunter was so many things to his family … their biggest worry, their sweetest snuggler and the person who could make them laugh more than anyone in the world. Hunter once described himself as “a collaborator, a leader, someone who is compassionate and dependable.” He also said he was a “real one,” referring to his struggle with the battle of addiction.

Hunter is survived by his parents, Scott and Robin, and his older sister, London. No memorial is planned at this time, but a bench in the Palisades will be donated in his honor through Palisades PRIDE. Individual donations can be made to everychildfoundation.org.