‘Esteemed’ fitness teacher found dead after vanishing while kayaking, Florida group says
A beloved fitness instructor went missing while paddling with friends along the Florida coastline, a nonprofit said.
Eiffel Gilyana was found dead near Vilano Beach on Dec. 26, three days after a search began to find him, according to a Facebook post from Task Force Hydro1, a nonprofit focused on providing water-based activities to veterans and first responders.
His body was discovered about 7 miles from his last known location, according to a Dec. 26 statement from the Jewish Community Alliance, which was another organization Gilyana was a part of.
The man was a “beacon of kindness” with “infectious laughter and unwavering spirit,” according to a GoFundMe page organized by Jen Grubbs for his family.
A group of kayakers reported the 46-year-old missing to the U.S. Coast Guard in Jacksonville at 10:39 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 23, according to a Dec. 24 U.S. Coast Guard news release. He was near St. Augustine Inlet when he went missing, officials said.
Gilyana worked as the fitness and wellness director at the Jewish Community Alliance in Jacksonville, where he started as a personal trainer in 2009, according his profile page. He was considered a “passionate leader and role model” who cared deeply about fitness, whether it was running, canoeing or surfing, the organization said on its website.
“Eiffel says he is always sure to never take anything for granted and to stay positive even in difficult times,” his profile page reads.
Aside from his role at JCA, he also served as the “esteemed” health and wellness adviser at Task Force Hydro1, the nonprofit said.
He was married and had three children, according to the GoFundMe. Before coming to Jacksonville, Gilyana lived in Iraq and worked as an interpreter with the U.S. Army Special Forces, the fundraiser says.
The U.S. Coast Guard, local law enforcement and Task Force Hydro1 searched for Gilyana when he was reported missing. The nonprofit called on local community members to participate in the search, whether it was by paddleboard, canoe or jet ski.
The Coast Guard’s “intensive search” was suspended Dec. 24, search and rescue coordinator Nick Barrow said in the release. The 90-hour search spanned more than 340 square miles, according to the Coast Guard.
Task Force Hydro1 then took on the mantle to continue looking for Gilyana, according to the nonprofit.
A prayer vigil was held for Gilyana on Christmas Day, First Coast News reported, amassing a few dozen people into a crowd along the beach. Huddled in the rain, the group held hands and prayed for his return, per the outlet.
At about 1 p.m. on Tuesday, the “heart-wrenching discovery” of Gilyana’s death was made, JCA said.
“Our hearts are shattered with the devastating news about Eiffel,” Task Force Hydro1 Executive Director Leonardo Yui said in the nonprofit’s statement. “His passion, dedication, and contributions to our organization and the broader community will never be forgotten.”
A memorial gathering for Gilyana is being planned, JCA wrote in its statement. Further details on when the service will be posted at a later date, the organization said.
“Words cannot express the hollowness that engulfs us all, the crushing weight of a future forever etched with his absence,” the GoFundMe reads. “Each corner of our lives echoes with his laughter, his warmth, his vibrant spirit, and the silence that follows is deafening.”
Vilano Beach is about 40 miles southeast of Jacksonville.
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