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 lived in Breezy Point and loved everything about her community - the beach, lifeguarding, her cabana, riding her bike around “with freedom” as she’d say, the Bowl and her friends. She was very patriotic, proud of her Irish heritage and the FDNY, especially her Deputy Chief Dad. She lived with and remains deeply loved by her mom MaryEllen, her dad Joe, her sister Reilly and her buddy, her dog Krypto. Caileigh ran at high speed through life. She was always coming and going, in and out of the house with a ton of friends, never stopping to relax, never wanting to miss a moment of fun or a moment of living.
Caileigh completed her first year at the University of Tennessee, where she had been accepted into their competitive nursing program. 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 her dream school and dove headfirst into more friendships and her Delta Gamma sorority family, whose motto is to “Do Good.” 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, and ability to comfort others in their greatest time of need.
Caileigh played hard and worked hard. Her many accomplishments did not come without extra practice and tutoring. Never one to complain and always with a smile, she seemed excited to take on any challenge. Born with severe amblyopia, the leading cause of blindness in children, she worked hard in therapy and became part of the less than 3% of people who overcome the condition.
Caileigh attended Fontbonne Hall Academy, under a four-year merit scholarship. She was on the FHA JV and Varsity VB teams. In senior year, she was a proud member of the 2022 Diocesan and City Championship teams, making it to finals for the State Championship. Caileigh was a member of the Brooklyn Elite Volleyball Club and 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.
Caileigh attended Visitation Academy grammar school and was awarded its 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.