Hundreds get vaccinated in honour of hospital CEO who died in jet ski accident

‘He was an extraordinary leader, and one who never put himself above anybody else’

Hundreds of people have been vaccinated in honour of a hospital CEO in Florida who died in a jet ski accident.

Dr Leon Haley Jr died from injuries stemming from an accident on 24 July after personally performing 15 vaccinations of staff members at UF Health Jacksonville the day before.

“When you get the CEO and dean walking around during your workday, spending his time, it’s pretty impressive,” the chief medical officer for UF Health, Dr David Vukich, told ABC News. “It’s not like he didn’t have anything to do.”

The 56-year-old from Pittsburgh reportedly lost control of his jet ski the next morning in Palm Beach. Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said in a statement that “losing him is tragic and painful”.

“The hard job? Give it to me. Have to stay up late? I’ll take it. Have to work weekends? Sign me up. That was the kind of guy he was,” Dr Vukich said.

Dr Haley became the dean of the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville in 2017 and the CEO of UF Health in 2018.

He also served as a professor of emergency medicine and as a vice president for health affairs at the University of Florida.

“He was an extraordinary leader, and one who never put himself above anybody else,” Dr Vukich added.

Dr Haley’s son Grant, one of three children, said he was “the greatest man I will ever know”.

Grant Haley plays for the New Orleans Saints in the NFL. During his father’s funeral in July, he said: “He was a servant, he was a hero, who dedicated his life to others, especially his family.”

Hospital officials said Dr Haley led the charge against Covid-19 and is thought to have been the first to get vaccinated in the state in December 2020. He said it was a “humbling” moment.

During a vaccine rally for faculty and staff on 30 July held at the two campuses of UF Health Jacksonville in honour of Dr Haley, 152 people were vaccinated.

Dr Vukich said the vaccination effort at the hospital had been an “uphill battle,” with more than 95 per cent of doctors being vaccinated, but only around 50 per cent of nurses getting the jab.

Dr Haley was “concerned that not all of his health care workers were vaccinated” the day before his death as he was walking around the hospital urging his staff to get the jab, the president of the University of Florida, Dr Kent Fuchs, said at the funeral.

“He worked tirelessly with his business and civic partners to join forces against the pandemic, and indeed if there was an Olympics for fighting Covid in Florida, Dr Haley would win the gold,” he added.

“I had been hesitant due to my medical history, but after discussing with my doctor, I was almost ready to get the vaccine. Dr Haley’s passing and his last push for vaccinations have been the inspiration for Carlos and me to do this in honour of him,” reimbursement and quality improvement manager Melissa Caperton said of her and her husband’s vaccinations in a statement from the hospital.

On 5 August, electric, water and sewer utility JEA, where Dr Haley was a board member, hosted a vaccine drive that inoculated another 143 people.

“He was so involved in the response for Covid-19 in the community and promoting vaccines, we felt like it was a good way to honour him and remember him and his legacy,” Managing Director and CEO Jay Stowe told ABC News.

JEA will host another vaccine drive on Tuesday.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that around 54 per cent of residents over the age of 12 have been vaccinated in Duval County, which includes Jacksonville.