Caring, Humble, And An Insanely Joyful Laugh: Friends Remember Seaside Heights Lifeguard

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Humble. An insane laugh. Full of joy. A beautiful soul. A caring and selfless person who put others before himself.

Those are just a few of the phrases used to describe Brian M. Kurinzi of Toms River, a beloved member of the Seaside Heights Beach Patrol, who died March 8 at the age of 20.

According to his obituary on the Timothy E. Ryan Home For Funerals website, Kurinzi was a graduate of Toms River High School North and an avid soccer player and snowboarder who had worked for the beach patrol as a lifeguard for five years.

Friends' posts on social media described him as much more.

"The world is lucky to have had such a beautiful soul like you on it. Thankful and so lucky to be one of the many that got to know that first-hand," Cynthia Rojas wrote on Facebook. "So much love for you BK rest easy."

"I will never ever forget your contagious laugh and amazing soul," Danielle Barone wrote on Twitter.

"Brian was an amazing young man," wrote Robert Connor, who notified the members of the beach patrol community via Facebook. "(He was an) outstanding lifeguard and he will be missed dearly by all friends and family."

"Never before, and never again will I hear a laugh so full of joy that it could cause a room to start crying laughing over nothing," wrote Gregory Fazekas in a post on Facebook.

"What a great stand partner and guard," Scott Smith wrote. "Always knew it was gunna be a fun day if we were sitting together. Your dolphin dive/entry was one of the best. Rest In Peace Kurinzi."

"You & your contagious laugh will truly be missed," Shannon Flores wrote on Twitter. "Rest easy BK, you're in a peaceful place now sunshine."

"I remember the first time my Danielle asked me to pick up her new boyfriend so long ago," a friend wrote in a tribute on the funeral home website. "We went to the haunted house and diner afterwards. You were so young and shy,you barely ate your fries..thank you sweetness for letting us get to love you from the get~go..We will NEVER forget you! We love you and your beautiful soul is now free love."

Brian was predeceased by his maternal grandparents, Joseph and Toby Taylor. He surviving are his parents Michele Taylor of Toms River, and Michael Kurinzi of Myrtle Beach, SC; his siblings, Shawn and Taylor Kurinzi, both of Toms River, and many loving cousins and friends.

The family will receive friends today, Sunday, March 12, from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at the Timothy E. Ryan Home for Funerals, 995 Fischer Blvd., Toms River. A Mass of Christian burial will be offered on Monday March 13 at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Toms River.

His obituary did not list a cause of death.

His aunt, Bernadette Kurinzi Gutierrez, said, "As many of you know my beautiful nephew passed away this week. His loving and goodness and life will live on in countless others through organ donation and his loving selfless mother and family."

A GoFundme account set up to raise funds for his funeral and medical expenses had raised nearly $15,000 as of Sunday. Click here to contribute.

Photo via GoFundme