September 24, 2025
Community Remembers Leesburg’s Tommy Griffin, Killed in Tragic Boating Accident
By Kyle Coppola
Community Remembers Leesburg’s Tommy Griffin, Killed in Tragic Boating Accident
A Leesburg man is being remembered as a devoted father and beloved friend after he was killed in a boating accident Friday on Lake Harris.
Thomas “Tommy” Griffin, 28, died Sept. 12. His death has left family, friends and community members mourning the sudden loss of a man they say brought laughter and kindness wherever he went.
Tommy was a fisherman and outdoorsman, but those close to him said his greatest pride was being a father to his young daughter.
“Tommy was more than just a friend, he was a devoted father, an avid fisherman, and someone who could always make you laugh no matter the situation,” a statement from a GoFundMe page set up by Hadley Woods says. “His love for life, his family and the outdoors was contagious.”
Community members have rallied to support Tommy’s daughter in the wake of his death. A fundraiser has been launched to help with expenses and ensure she is cared for.
His daughter recently began her second year with Epic Twirl, a Leesburg-based youth twirling group. Owner Cheri Howard shared condolences on social media, writing: “Tommy Griffin was the father of one of our sweet students. She started her second year with us just days before this tragic event. Please consider helping this family if you can.”
Tommy’s family and friends say they are grateful for the outpouring of support, prayers.
“Thank you for your love, kindness, and support as we celebrate the life of an amazing man gone far too soon,” the family says.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
