Greg Toppo

USATODAY

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai, a first-term congressman from Hawaii who represented an area near Pearl Harbor for two decades in the Hawaii State House of Representatives, died Wednesday.

He was 49 and had sought treatment for pancreatic cancer last fall.

Takai's death comes less than a year and a half after he rose to his congressional seat — and nine months after he announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer.

His congressional office in Honolulu confirmed that he died at home, “surrounded by family.”

He is survived by his wife, Sami Takai, and two children, Matthew and Kaila.

President Obama issued a statement saying that he and Mrs. Obama were saddened to learn of the death of the congressman.

"Mark was always a fighter," the president said. "He stood up for America’s most vulnerable. He championed our troops and veterans, and proudly wore our nation’s uniform. And his relentless push for cancer research inspired countless Americans fighting the same battle as him. Simply put, our country is better off because of Mark’s contributions. He leaves a legacy of courage, of service, and of hope."

Takai was born and raised on Oahu. He graduated from Pearl City High School and the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He swam for the university and also served as the student body president.

Takai, a lieutenant colonel in the Hawaii National Guard and a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, was first elected to the House in 2014, after serving 20 years in the Hawaii State House.

The Iraq War veteran first won a seat in the state House of Representatives at the age of 27 and served as vice speaker from 2005 to 2006. He represented the district of Aiea/Pearl City, his office said.

Takai said last October that he expected to recover from surgery on a small tumor. He underwent surgery in November, followed by chemotherapy. Last February, his doctor cleared him to run for re-election, NBC News reported, but in May he said he wouldn’t seek re-election after learning that his cancer had spread.

In a statement, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said Takai "embodied our nation’s highest ideals." She added, "Mark confronted his diagnosis with the spirit we all hope we would share when facing such an awful disease.”

Politicians from across the country expressed their condolences.