OUR INSPIRATION
Caileigh Duggan
November 22, 2004 – June 10, 2023
In her short 18 years, Caileigh touched more people and loved wholeheartedly and unselfishly - more than most accomplish in their longer lives. She loved Breezy Point - the beach, lifeguarding, her cabana, riding her bike around “with freedom” as she’d say, and her friends. She was very patriotic, proud of her Irish heritage and the FDNY, especially her Chief Dad. She remains deeply loved by her mom MaryEllen, her dad Joe, her sister Reilly, her buddy, her dog Krypto and tons of family and friends. Caileigh never sat still, never stopping to relax, never wanting to miss a moment of fun or a moment of living.
She completed her first year in the nursing program at the University of Tennessee. Her sense of adventure took her to Knoxville, hometown of her favorite Morgan Wallen - we guess she did have “sand in her boots.” She loved being a Vol, wearing her Rocky Top orange, and diving headfirst into more friendships and her Delta Gamma sorority family. Her goal was to become a pediatric oncology nurse and we knew her future patients and families would have deeply benefited from her special love and empathy in their greatest time of need.
Caileigh played hard and worked hard. Never one to complain and always with a smile, she seemed excited to take on any challenge.
At Fontbonne Hall Academy, she played volleyball and was a proud member of the 2022 Diocesan and City Championship teams, and State Championship finalists. She played summer sand with RVT Sand Sistas, and Brooklyn Elite Volleyball Club where she was elected year-after-year as Team Captain. She was also an accomplished Irish Step Dancer and was a loved and proud member of The O’Malley Dance Academy. All of these quenched her desire to forge deep and long-term friendships, mini “families” in her life.
In grammar school, Caileigh was awarded her school's first-ever Character Award. Nobody was surprised. Early on, she exhibited an extraordinary sense of warmth and unselfishness towards others that she sustained throughout her life – even through the sometimes hard to navigate teenage world. She did this not only through her words and great hugs, but also through her actions. She was very expressive and bold with her love and kindness, unafraid to hold back to show it or give up something she might need for someone else. She was generous, encouraging, and supportive. If you knew her, you felt it. And you knew it was special.
Caileigh loved with her always-on smile, and then, as she would always say - loved you even more.
