TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Bike crash with SUV kills son of ex-governor

ADVERTISEMENT

By KEITH MORELLI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 29, 2010

Updated: 07/29/2010 09:48 pm

Related Links

• Sign the guest book
• Read Collins' blog
• Photos of Collins' life

LeRoy Collins Jr.

TAMPA - The 75-year-old son of former Gov. LeRoy Collins was killed Thursday morning while riding his bicycle in South Tampa, police said.

LeRoy Collins Jr., a retired admiral and current executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, was crossing South Hyde Park Avenue at Brorein Street just before 7 a.m. when his bicycle was struck by a sport utility vehicle, police said.

Collins, who with no political experience mounted an unsuccessful U.S. Senate run in 2006, wrote in his blog as late as last year that he was considering another run for the Senate.

Collins and his wife, Jane, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this year, said his sister, Jane Aurell of Tallahassee.

Aurell said she and her brother kept in touch regularly over the years.

"He lived a really full and active and, for the most part, healthy life," she said Thursday afternoon. "He just put himself whole-heartedly into the things he was interested in; church, he was a musician, he liked all kinds of music and community. He loved the Tampa Bay community.

"Family, of course, was his main love," Aurell said. "He just lived life to the fullest. I think anyone who knew him would never forget him. He was very positive and upbeat and was an original kind of person."

"When he walked into a room it just changed the atmosphere," she said. "He brought a lot of vitality to anything he participated in."

Collins lived on Davis Islands and was an active bicyclist and rower.

In a blog entry in January 2009, Collins talked about his life:

"Despite my age, I do not see this as the winter of my life ... maybe the fall ... still with a glorious panorama of colorful leaves. With all four of our children within a four-mile radius (along with eight grandchildren) … with me still meaningfully employed on a daily basis ... still able to row (scull) 10 miles in an outing, and swim 1,000 yards without stop and bicycle several miles each way to row ... I am very fortunate."

Police ruled the crash an accident and said no charges will be filed against Margaux Manuel, the driver of the SUV.

Manuel, 27, was heading west on Brorein Street and stopped at the South Hyde Park Avenue red light, police said. She made a left turn from the one-way street onto Hyde Park Avenue but did not see Collins in the crosswalk, police said. Manuel hit the bicycle, police said.

Manuel and a witness, who was in a car following her to work, performed CPR on Collins until emergency personnel arrived on scene, police say. Manuel told investigators that other than a scrape on his knee, Collins had no other visible injuries.

Collins was taken to Tampa General Hospital where he died.

Manuel is an obstetrician/gynecologist resident at the University of South Florida Women's Health Center at Tampa General and was on her way to work.

Manuel's father, Kevin Hemstreet, said he talked to his daughter after the accident.

"She was crying on the phone," he said. "She was devastated. She could hardly talk."

Hemstreet offered his condolences to the Collins family.

"I understand he was an outstanding individual," Hemstreet said. "My daughter is an outstanding person, and for those two individuals to meet like that, it doesn't make sense."

Collins was a familiar face across South Tampa and a familiar name across the state.

LeRoy Collins III said he couldn't ask for more in a father.

"He was such an honorable man," Collins said on Thursday afternoon. His love of country, the navy, family; He always was very tough but fair." The younger Collins said his father's major influences in life were his parents and the naval academy.

"And his church," he said. "Those three things would about sum it up."

His military discipline spilled over into his life years after retirements. He noted a few years ago that his waist size was the same as when he graduated high school.

"He was very passionate about his health and having a quality of life. "He lived every day to the fullest, getting up at 5:30 a.m. and biking to the University of Tampa rowing club. He did that every day."

That's were he was heading Thursday morning, his son said.

Services for Collins were not set, he said. Preliminary plans call for a service at St. Andrews Episcopal Church with burial at the family home in Tallahassee.

Collins was executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs, appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist and the Florida Cabinet in January 2007.

"Admiral Collins has been a loyal and constant advocate for quality health care and economic support for Florida's veterans, as well as a lifelong Floridian dedicated to improving the quality of life of all in our state," said Gov. Charlie Crist in a statement issued at noon.

"As a consummate gentleman and outstanding role model, his sudden loss will impact veterans throughout Florida, as well as the Tampa community where he was a business leader, while continuing to serve his country in the Navy reserve."

Rod Petrey, president of the Collins Center for Public Policy, a statewide think tank named for Collins' father, issued this statement:

"We are very sad at this loss. LeRoy Collins Jr. picked up the mantle of leadership from his father and served his country long and well as an admiral in the Navy."

In addition to his wife, the former Jane Sisson of Tampa, Collins is survivived by two daughters, two sons and eight grandchildren.

Bob Buckhorn, candidate for mayor and Davis Islands neighbor of Collins said, "This is really is a sad day. … When you look at his life, it's been all about service, service to his country, service to his fellow veterans and service to his community," Buckhorn said. "He embodied that citizen-servant concept as well as anybody I've ever seen."

In his blog, Collins wrote of being content as he entered his later years.

"And so, now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did," he wrote.

"But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I'm not sure how long it will last ... this I know, that when it's over ... it's over. Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done, things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime.

"Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not.

"Life is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one."

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760. Reporter Howard Altman can be reached at (813) 259-7629.

Share this:

ADVERTISEMENT