He Made Everyone Feel Like Family: Toms River Husband, Father, Fisherman Remembered

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Sean Smida made everyone feel like family.

The Toms River man, who died Tuesday after suffering a medical episode while fishing 130 miles offshore, is being remembered far and wide for his kindness, his generosity and most of all, his loyalty.

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Smida, who worked for Lester Glenn Auto group and for Grumpy's Tackle, a fishing tackle shop in Seaside Park, was a devoted family man, his best friend, Ray Kerico, wrote on a GoFundMe campaign he started to help Smida's family.

"His family was his world, and every moment he spent was dedicated to their happiness and well-being," Kerico wrote, and it was sentiment shared over and over by people who wrote about Smida in comments on Facebook.

Smida, 38, was fishing with friends east of Montauk, the far eastern tip of Long Island, when he suffered what authorities believe was a medical episode and became unconscious, police said.

The friends immediately started trying to resuscitate Smida and notified the U.S. Coast Guard as they immediately headed for shore, authorities said, but Smida did not survive.

His death has left family and friends reeling as they shared photo after photo of him, many with his family, many with fish, all of them with a wide grin on his face.

"Sean had a rare gift for making everyone around him feel like family, always ready to listen, lend a hand, or encourage those he cared about to be their best selves," Kerico, who grew up with Smida, said on the GoFundMe campaign. It will assist Smida's wife, Krystal, and their children, Connor and Scarlett, in the coming weeks and months.

"He was a true saint and like a father to me," Jenni Ackerman, who has worked at Grumpy's, wrote in an email to Patch sharing the GoFundMe.

"My initial impression of Sean, from the very first time I met him, remained consistent throughout the privilege of knowing him," his friend, Gary Kosty, wrote in a public Facebook post. "He was a handsome, humble, and cheerful young man, a diligent worker, and someone it was truly difficult not to admire. His presence was always felt, he would brighten any room he entered, spoke softly, and carried a million-dollar smile. He was honest and highly respected, larger than life."

Others who were friends on Facebook with Smida described him as someone who checked in on his friends and family, a mentor and someone who motivated them to be better people.

And he loved to share his knowledge about fishing and loved to help grow the sport.

"There was not a nicer guy out there more willing to help you catch a fish than Sean Smida," Dylan Joseph wrote in a public post. "He convinced me to buy my first ever custom rod along with giving me a bunch of other fishing tips and tricks I surely never forget."

That extended to Smida's wife and children, and his smile practically bursts off his face in photos on the Grumpy's Tackle Facebook page when Krystal and the children were posing with fish they weighed in.

"Sean's kindness, loyalty, and generosity touched countless lives in our community," Kerico wrote. "His absence leaves a hole that can never be filled, but his spirit lives on in the love he shared and the memories he created."

For those who wish to donate in person, Kerico said a donation jar has been set up at Grumpy's Tackle, on the northbound side of NE Central Avenue in Seaside Park.

"Thank you for helping us honor Sean's memory and for showing his family the love and support they deserve. Your kindness means more than words can express," Kerico wrote.

The GoFundMe campaign can be found here for those who wish to donate.

Funeral arrangements have not been announced.