Tewksbury Man Dies From Snowmobile Crash Injuries

The following obituary was submitted by Shauna Leavitt, James Leavitt's sister. The family has set up a GoFundMe Page in memory of James.

TEWKSBURY, MA -- James Nicholas Leavitt passed away at 5:14pm on January 3rd, 2019 at just 26 years old. He fought incredibly hard but ultimately succumbed to his injuries sustained during his snowmobile accident in East Wakefield, NH on Balch Lake (our vacation house). We held his hand the entire time and never let go. We talked him through it and he peacefully went to meet his father, James G. Leavitt, who passed 6 years ago.

Nick’s love and affect on people didn’t stop at the time of his death. He had registered as an organ donor years ago and we honored that. His kidneys, liver and tissue were donated to several recipients that desperately needed them. We watched him and the incredible staff at Beth Israel SICU go, as he was immediately wheeled into surgery to donate his organs. The operating staff took a moment of silence and read our family statement in his honor to thank him for the gift of life he was passing to others.

We want to thank the paramedics who transported him from his accident to Frisbie Hospital, the incredible hospital staff and his ER doctor, Steve Kraunz, at Frisbie Hospital in Rochester NH, the medflight crew who got him to Boston, and the Beth Israel SICU who were with him 24/7, as well as supporting his entire army of friends and family. His SICU doctor said other staff asked if someone famous was in the hospital...that’s how many people were there for him.

James became recently engaged to his long time girlfriend, Amanda Butler. He was the son of Holly K Leavitt and his father (who passed January 27, 2012) James G. leavitt and a brother to his older sister, Shauna K. Leavitt. He was a resident of Tewksbury for 26 years but loved his vacation house in East Wakefield, NH. He was a cherished member and service manager of the East Coast Flightcraft family located in Middleton, MA. When he wasn’t transporting large boats, trailering them through Boston or throughout New England, he was coordinating dock side repairs or test drives with customers. He loved his work family and spent countless hours working hard and playing hard.

James Leavitt was a brother, a son, a fiancé, a nephew, an uncle, a best friend and a cherished co-worker. But more than that, he was an incredible, selfless and forgiving human being. He lived every single day of his short life, making others laugh and enjoy themselves whenever possible. He hugged you with all of his might, poked fun at you and teased you, and never let anyone feel alone or forgotten. He loved as much as humanly possible and every single person he met, felt that love.

James Leavitt’s Services

Funeral at 12-1pm on Sunday, January 13th 2019
Westview Cemetery
520 Bedford Street
Lexington, MA 02420

Celebration of Life: 1-5pm after funeral
American Legion
162 Winn Street,
Burlington, MA 01803

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Photo courtesy of Leavitt family.