Batman's Uppercut Caused Florida Man's Death, Obit Says

When family and friends of a 31-year-old Winter Haven man were unsure of what to put down as a cause of death in his obituary, they let humor win the day.

Stephen Merrill’s obituary on Legacy.com says he passed away Feb. 12 “due to a uppercut from Batman.”

It seems Merrill died suddenly and family members and friends were at a loss to explain. Knowing Stephen was a huge comic book fan with a great sense of humor, family friend Brandon Moxam joked, “Say the cause of death was an ‘uppercut from Batman,’ ” the Palm Beach Post quoted him as saying.

When everyone, including Merrill’s father and his fiancée Stephanie Vella, agreed, the joke became the official line for the obituary that was published in The Ledger, ABC Action News reported.

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Vella even said she’s sure Merrill would have “been honored to have died by an uppercut from Batman,” ABC 30 quoted her as saying.

Merrill was such a big comic book and superhero fan, in fact, ABC reported that his friends and family all wore superhero shirts to his celebration of life. There was even a Captain America shield made from flowers at the service.

Merrill worked at The Big Shop at Legoland and is survived by his parents, Larry Ronald Merrill and Bridgett I. Dotson Merrill, according to Legacy.com. He is also survived by his fiancée; son, Noah; and sister, Kimberly.

Merrill, ABC Action News, reported had battled cancer since June 2013.

Screenshot from Legacy.com

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