The Strongest Guy I Know…We Lost A Good One Today
- By: Joseph Simonds
- on March 10, 2015
We lost a good one today.
And no, it wasn’t a fish this time.
It was the Strongest guy I know.
A Warrior.
A Father.
A Husband.
An Incredible friend to anyone that knew him.
An Inspiration.
One of the most loyal and genuine guys I have ever met.
And certainly someone that made an impact on more people than he probably ever imagined…
Geoff Lewis
Geoff was my neighbor growing up in Winter Haven, FL.
We went to the same Episcopal private school growing up, and he and his brother Josh were two guys that I always admired and looked up to (as Geoff was a few years older than me).
And Geoff was a fighter and a warrior from a young age.
Not the kind of fighter that you think of when you imagine a bully though.
He was the kind of guy that fought for what was right, and for what he believed in.
He fought for friends.
He fought for his family.
He was a guy that always had your back no matter what.
And I felt fortunate to call Geoff a friend.
Even when I went away to Atlanta, my mom would always mention Geoff’s name as she saw him frequently in the neighborhood, and in dealings with my parent’s pool.
And every time my mom ran into Geoff, he always had something nice to say about me, Luke, or my brother Daniel.
And he always made it a point to make our youngest brother Daniel (with Cerebral Palsy) feel special and loved.
That alone makes Geoff a Hero in my eyes.
But Geoff was a real Hero by how he beat all odds, inspired countless people that met him and heard his story, gave undivided attention to his family through it all, and forged ahead even when most doctors gave him bleak outlooks.
You see, Geoff beat all odds of cancer.
He did the impossible…
Living years and years longer than any doctor would have believed…
He kept fighting, and fighting, and fighting for his life…
He fought to be the best husband he could be…
He fought to be the best father he could be…
And I know he is up there smiling down on all of us right now as he is finally seeing how many people he touched, moved, and inspired over the years.
To Geoff Lewis, the Strongest Guy I Know…
Rest in Peace My Friend…
And Please Keep his wife Sandy, their kids, and all of Geoff’s extended family in your thoughts and prayers.
Due to his diagnosis he was never eligible for life insurance. So in lieu of sending flowers, you may make a donation into an account at Centerstate Bank. The name of the account is the Geoff Lewis Donation Account.
Geoff’s wishes were to be cremated so there will not be a graveside service.
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Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
The world is not the same without him. Thanks for putting this together, Joe
Great guy and will forever be remembered!
Beautiful tribute! I got to know Geoff from substituting and helping out at St. Paul’s and even then I felt there was something special about him! He was such a sweet and kind kid! My heart aches for all his family and friends as he will leave a hole in their hearts!! May God be with you through this time of healing and know he is with you always in your memories….
Beautiful words for one amazing man, inside and out! God bless the Lewis family xo
Such a beautiful tribute to one who loved and inspired others. God Bless and comfort his wife Sandy, his children and his family and close friends.
God Bless him and his
Loved reading the beautiful tribute. Geoff was a beautiful person inside and out. We will miss you very much geoff
As the tears swell in my eyes and my heart tonight, I think of Geoff’s wonderful family and friends. Geoff was much more than a great man, he was such an inspiration…and always filled with kindness and a goodness to all of us.
Well said joe, Geoff was an amazing, funny, inspiring brave man. Just thinking about all the laughter he added to my life throughouthigh school and PCC! My prayers surround his entire family! It’s puts a smile on my face just reminiscing on the good ol’ Polk county days! He had such a great heart and will be missed! I pray God fills his family up with the laughter he brought to everyone that met him! ❤️
Tears swell in my eyes and my heart tonight for all of Geoff’s family and friends. He was a great man and inspiration to all of us.