Corey Griffin, one of the pioneers who helped the Ice Bucket Challenge go viral, died in a driving accident over the weekend, hours after raising $100,000 for ALS charity in honor of his friend, Pete Frates, who inspired the phenomenon.
The Nantucket Police Department told the Boston Globe the 27-year-old male dove off a building on Saturday at 2 a.m. at Straight Wharf. Immediately after landing in the water, Griffin reportedly "floated to the surface" but his body "then went under water again, not resurfacing."
The Police Department released a statement reading, "On August 16, 2014 at 2:00 AM, the Nantucket Police Department received a report of a man missing in the harbor after diving from a building on Straight Wharf. Responding officers determined the missing person was Corey C. Griffin."
An off-duty lifeguard immediately rushed in to recover Griffin's body from the water. Officers performed CPR on Griffin, and he was later transported to Nantucket Cottage Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 3 a.m. that morning.
"This is a terrible tragedy and our hearts go out to the Griffin and Frates families. We commend Corey for his exemplary efforts for raising awareness and funding to fight ALS," the ALS Association said in a statement regarding his passing; however Griffin did not have a direct relationship with the association
In 2012, Griffin's friend, 29-year-old Frates was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.
"Team FrateTrain lost a good friend today, Corey Griffin," Frates wrote on his Facebook page on Saturday. "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."
He continued: "Julie, myself, the Frates family and Team FrateTrain sends their love and support to the South Shore and the Griffin family. God Bless. RIP Corey."
Griffin's father, Robert Griffin told the Boston Globe that his son was "the happiest guy in the world."
"He called me last night and told me he was in paradise," he added.
