Celebration of life for Eiffel Gilyana scheduled for this weekend

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — This weekend, the community will gather to honor the life of Eiffel Gilyana.

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Gilyana was found dead after disappearing while canoeing off the coast of Vilano Beach.

An entire community mobilized last weekend and took to the water to find Gilyana after he was reported missing about a week ago.

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Eiffel Giyana was 46 years old and a father of 3. He was someone who loved to paddle. After the search was suspended by the Coast Guard on Sunday, Leo Yui and members of Hydro Task Force 1 continued to look for him.

Gilyana was a fitness and wellness director at the Jewish Community Alliance and was on the board of Hydro Task Force 1. It’s a group that helps foster emotional healing in water for active duty military, first responders and veterans.

“He created such a huge impact on everybody he came across. We want to continue that,” said Yui. “Eiffel was a great man, a friend.”

Gilyana’s celebration of life service is taking place Sunday, Dec. 31 at 3 p.m. at the Jewish Community Alliance on San Jose Boulevard.

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