Family and friends are grieving the loss of 27-year-old Scituate, Massachusetts, resident Corey Griffin, who was killed in a diving accident off the coast of Nantucket.
"He said, 'Dad, I've never been happier. This is paradise.' And that was the last time his dad spoke with him," said family friend Steve Greeley. "He was down in Nantucket. He was going to be with his closest friends. And what he was particularly proud about was he was going to be helping raise some money for some great things, including the ALS situation with Pete Frates, who was a good friend of Corey's."
Griffin told his father he had raised close to $100,000 for the cause. His plans in Nantucket also included another fundraising event for the Boys and Girls Club.
"In one weekend, he was doing two things for other people, which is just kind of the way Corey's lived his life - it's always about other people," said friend Tom Greeley.
Griffin grew up watching and eventually helping his family in their longstanding fundraising efforts for Boston Children's Hospital. For the last two years, the former hockey player has assisted the NHL Alumni Association raise money for a program aimed at helping children with sports-related injuries, like concussions.
"I don't know whether that's genetic or it's learned, but that was Correy Griffin - always with a smile on his face, everyone wanted to be with this kid," said Steve Greeley.
"The things that were most important to him were his brother and sister, Casey and Mike and his parents, friends, religion and charity," said friend Anthony Aiello. "That's how he lived his life and that's how he's going to be remembered."
Griffin, whose family lives in Scituate, was working in New York at the time of the accident.
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Childhood friends describe him as a fun loving, upbeat, and driven man whose love for the ocean and boating was contagious - a one-of-a-kind person who truly touched the lives of so many people in his 27 years.
"We're so lucky that we got the gift of Corey Griffin for as long as we did," said friend Michael Greeley.
Frates posted a message on Facebook after Griffin's passing, reading, "Helping out was nothing new for Griff. He held his own event for me back in 2012, just a few months after diagnosis. He worked his butt off these last few weeks for ALS. We texted everyday, planning and scheming ways to raise funds and plan events."
A wake for Griffin will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 20 from 2 to 7 p.m. at St. Anthony's Church in Cohasset.
Griffin's funeral will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday at the same location.
