Sitivi “Steve” Faiai, a first-term Lemon Grove city councilmember and beloved community figure, died suddenly Tuesday morning of an apparent cardiac arrest, city officials confirmed.
He was just 50 years old.
Faiai was elected to the council of the San Diego city in November.
He was known as a committed public servant and devout Christian who dedicated his life to serving youth, faith, and his city.
“When I say he was one of the good ones, that’s an understatement,” said Mayor Alysson Snow.
In addition to his duties on the council, Faiai wore many hats in his community.
He led worship at his church, worked early shifts at a local Sprouts grocery store, and coached football at Helix High School.
Friends and colleagues say he had no interest in a lifelong political career.
They say he ran for office out of a desire to fix what he saw crumbling around him: shuttered storefronts, failing infrastructure, and fading hope.
“I’m running for the students that I coach,” Faiai told KUSI during his 2023 campaign.
“I’m running for their future.”
At Helix, Faiai served as the freshman football team’s defensive coordinator.
Fellow coaches described him as passionate and devoted, not just to the game, but to the lives of the young men he mentored.
He helped launch weekly breakout sessions after Monday practices, where students could speak openly about their struggles off the field.
“These kids are going through some things at home,” said JV assistant coach Rolando Abagat.
“No kid should ever go through [that].
“We just used that as a vehicle to not only connect with the kids but just to love on them — and Steve, being a pastor, he was probably at the front line of that.”
Faiai’s calm and composed demeanor also helped stabilize a council known in recent years for internal drama and dysfunction.
Public meetings often devolved into infighting and accusations, making it difficult to address core issues like homelessness and public safety.
Faiai worked quietly to shift the tone.
“Our community and our city, they’ve become so calloused to hope,” he said in 2024.
His election, along with others, marked a turning point for voters eager for change.
“He’s a very calm spirit, so he made you calm,” said Councilmember Jessica Heredia, who was elected alongside Faiai.
The two had collaborated on initiatives to expand services at the city’s recreation center — a facility that Mayor Snow has now proposed renaming in his honor.
Steve Faiai is survived by his wife of over 20 years, Lauren, and his two sons, Cameron and Riley, both graduates of Helix High School.
He leaves behind a legacy of faith, service, and a community forever shaped by his presence.
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