A fundraiser for the two young daughters of late Team USA triathlete Spencer Korwin has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars since his sudden death by drowning last week.
“Spencer was a beloved husband, father, son, brother, and friend,” the GoFundMe says. “He was the sun around which so many of our lives orbited, and his loss is being felt deeply by everyone who knew and loved him.”
Spencer — who competed for Team USA Triathlon at the 2012 World Championships in New Zealand — and his wife, Carly, shared two daughters: Sadie, 4, and Coco, 23 months.
“So many of you have asked how you can be there for Sadie, 4, and Colette, 1,” the fundraiser continues. “In that spirit, we’ve set up a fund for their future education, as one way to keep Spencer’s community close to them as they grow. We hope it can serve as a reminder, when they’re old enough to understand it, of how loved their father was and how many people are in their corner. Whether through a contribution, a message, or simply keeping Spencer in your thoughts, every expression of love means so much to the Korwin family.”
Supporters are also encouraged to sign up for a multi-year pledge to support the girls.
The GoFundMe had raised over $379,000 at the time of this story’s publication, with a goal of $500,000.
Spencer’s body was found on Wednesday, September 2, after he had gone missing on New York’s Shelter Island while vacationing with his family. He was 38.
He went for a swim off the dock at The Pridwin Hotel on Wednesday morning, according to the Shelter Island Police Department. When he never returned, Carly called the authorities.
The Shelter Island Police Department said his death is believed to be accidental, but the investigation remains open.
During her emotional eulogy at Spencer’s funeral in New York CIty on Sunday, September 6, Carly called her late husband’s death “a nightmare.”
“This is the worst day of my life,” she said, according to the New York Post. “I can’t accept that this is real and that Spencer is not going to come home. Spencer was more than I could ever have dreamed of when it came to a husband, a father and a friend. He was the best human I have ever met, and he was the love of my life. We had the most beautiful and special once-in-a-lifetime type of love, and we knew it.”
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