Blake Krikorian’s brother, coaching at the Rio Olympics, pays tribute to the late Slingbox founder

There is plenty of work for Adam Krikorian at the Rio Olympics as he looks to coach the U.S. women’s water polo team to another gold medal. But Krikorian has far more on his mind, having just lost his brother, Slingbox founder Blake Krikorian, who died last week, just before the games began.

In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Krikorian credited his brother for getting him into sports.

"He’s the reason I do what I do," Adam Krikorian said. "My brother was a great leader and I followed in his footsteps. I’m just kind of realizing it now, but I coach because of the impact you can have by mentoring, teaching and loving a group of people. That’s the way my brother was with me. I coach to honor him. That’s been a neat realization."

It was also a love of sports that prompted Blake to start Slingbox, Adam Krikorian said. The device was the first mainstream product that allowed people to watch their home television over the internet.

"He and my other brother were just dying to watch Giants games while they were traveling," Krikorian said. "That’s where it came from."

Adam Krikorian has often traveled in his brother’s footsteps, following Blake to UCLA, where both played water polo. As coach of the men’s and women’s teams, Adam has turned UCLA into a juggernaut in the sport.

Krikorian flew home from Rio after his brother’s death and then back to Brazil for the games, where his team leads its division in the preliminary round. They beat Spain and China earlier this week and are taking on Hungary today.

"I’m pretty exhausted, but who am I to complain?" Krikorian told the Chronicle.

Update: Krikorian's family has scheduled a celebration of Blake's life for Saturday, Aug. 27.

Dear Family and Friends,

Many of you have been asking about a memorial for Blake Krikorian. The girls and I appreciate your kind words and thoughts during this difficult time. We invite to join us for a celebration of Blake's life on Saturday, August 27th from 3:00-5:00 at the Mountain Winery at 14831 Pierce Road in Saratoga.*

* Beach attire encouraged (Blake would not want to see you in a suit and tie). Please pass this on to anyone who knew and loved Blake.

With love, Cathy, Lauren and Emma

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

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