UF Health Jacksonville CEO Dies in Jet Ski Crash, FWC Says

JACKSONVILLE, Florida – UF Health Jacksonville CEO Dr. Leon Haley Jr. died Saturday after being thrown from a jet ski in Palm Beach Inlet, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a statement on Sunday.

According to FWC, Haley was riding the watercraft on Saturday morning when he was thrown from the watercraft and was found in the water wearing a life jacket. FWC said he was taken to a West Palm Beach hospital, where he died.

Here is the full statement released by FWC:

“On Saturday July 24 at 10:33 am, FWC responded to the report of a Personal Watercraft Incident (PWC) at Palm Beach Inlet, South Pier, involving a Yamaha 10 ′ 2021 PWC, operated by Leon Leroy Haley, DOB 11/06 / 1964, from Jacksonville. Dr. Haley was thrown from the boat and found himself in the water wearing a life jacket. Dr Haley was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital in West Palm Beach, where he was confirmed to have died from injuries sustained in the incident. All FWC members wish to extend our sincere condolences to Dr. Haley’s family, friends and colleagues at the University of Florida Health Jacksonville. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all.

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RELATED: City leaders and colleagues mourn sudden loss of UF Health Jacksonville CEO

Haley was one of the key faces in the fight against COVID-19 in Jacksonville.

In mid-December, he became the first person in Jacksonville to receive the Pfizer vaccine when it became available, setting an example for his staff and the rest of the city.

More than seven months later, after what appeared to be a lull, that battle began again as the delta variant took hold and hospitals again began to be filled with coronavirus patients – many of whom were not. vaccinated. Haley recently said COVID-19 patient visits increased by 1,000% since mid-June, and he told News4Jax of his concerns that vaccination rates among hospital staff are 50% or less.

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Haley, who served as dean of UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville, became UF Health Jacksonville’s first black CEO in January 2018. He also served as vice president of health affairs at the University of Florida.

Haley has appeared on News4Jax often to talk about the fight against COVID-19 as well as other medical issues making headlines