Woman Dies In Paddle Board Yoga Class; Scholarship Fund Created

GREENPORT, NY — Devastated friends are reaching out to help after the tragic death of a woman who drowned during a paddle board yoga class in Southold Friday.

A GoFundMe page, "Lisa Margaritis’s Family & Friends Support," has been organized by Garcia Muay Thai, a martial arts school in Glen Cove.

"It is with deep sadness, that we say good-bye to a beloved daughter, wife, mother, friend, and teacher," the page said. "Lisa Margaritis, 49, tragically lost her life while saving someone else. . . Unfortunately, she drowned and lost her life at Hashamomuck Pond. A beautiful soul who will be missed by so many people."

Sadly, the page said, Lisa leaves her 15-year old son Andrew and husband.

"We created a GoFundMe account," the page said. "Just as she was there to help someone else, we’d like to be there to help others in her memory. All donations will go to benefit the St. Aidan’s Scholarship Fund in memory of Lisa Margaritis," the page said.

According to Southold Town Police, the incident took place at 9:52 a.m. Friday on the waters of Mill Creek and Hashamomuck Pond.

Three women who were part of the class were paddling in Hashamomuck Pond; the three tried to make their way under the Long Island Rail Road bridge that spans Mill Creek when one of the paddle boarders had trouble with the strong current, police said.

Margaritis, who authorities said was an experienced paddle boarder, attempted to assist the woman, police said. While trying to negotiate the strong current, Margaritis's paddle board got stuck on a bridge piling and Margaritis fell into the water, police said.

Margaritis was tethered to the board and was unable to free herself, police said. A good Samaritan who was jogging by the scene jumped into the water, freed Margaritis from the bridge piling and brought her ashore, police said.

Southold Town Police officers, members of the Southold Fire Department Rescue Squad and a Stony Brook University Hospital paramedic responded and initiated CPR, police said.

She was transported to Eastern Long Island Hospital where she was later pronounced dead, police said.

Margaritis was a cardiac nurse at two hospitals and a teacher at Garcia Muay Thai & MMA Gym in Glen Cove.

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