Nicholas Theodore Baldanza

It is with such deep sadness that the family of Nicholas Theodore Baldanza announce his sudden passing on May 24th, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. Nick was born on October 7th, 1981 and had lived in Ormond Beach the majority of his life. He attended Seabreeze High School and achieved his Associates Degree in Political Science at Daytona State in Daytona Beach, Florida. Nicholas had a brilliant and artisitc mind and a musical ability that far surpassed what he actually thought he was capable of. He excelled in sports, especially golf and baseball and loved riding his skateboard around our neighborhood in his early years. In fact, the skateboard became his mode of transportation when he moved to Los Angeles, he said the traffic was so bad that he could get places faster on the sidewalk than most people could by car. If you were blessed with the opportunity to be one of Nick's friends, it was a gift. Recently one of his close friends shared, "What you saw is what you got with Nick if you were lucky enough to be his friend. He had your back no matter what the consequences would be." His

God-sister, Amanda shared her feelings with us from Hawaii. She knew Nick the boy, they had drifted apart over the years and she chose to remember him as" the boy I once knew"- the risk taker on his skateboard flying down Shady Branch Trail - his zest for life, fearless and wise beyond his years. Yet, he had a dry sense of humor and sarcasm that only those closest to him got to see. He irritated the crap out of her like any brother would do to his sister but she said that she also knew he could be fiercely loyal and protective of those he loved most. This was how she chooses to remember Nick and we are so thankful for her words. Nicholas was also a loving Uncle to his nephew Joe. The two of them had a rare bond and they were inseparable.

Joe has cerebral palsy and Nicholas would take him for walks around our neighborhood. They would run Joe's wheelchair through mud puddles on the trail and you could hear their laughter as they would return home. The two of them would stay in Joe's room for hours, playing video games, the keyboard and the guitar. Nicholas was the greatest uncle a young man could have and his loss to Joe is beyond words. Though Nick struggled with mental health issues for years which led to self medication, the kindness in his heart always shined brighter than any darkness that was there. You always knew that you could depend on him, he was there for us no matter what he was going through. Our hearts are broken in two but we are truly thankful that God gave us the gift of Nick for the time that we had him and we shall miss him always. He leaves behind his loving parents, Sharon and Bob Baldanza, his sister Amy and of course his dear nephew Joe. He also leaves behind dear friends and neighbors, both young and old, his cousins, Aunts and Uncles in Colorado and New Jersey, who meant the world to him and a

brother by birth, Alex and his family in Los Angeles, California. In lieu of flowers, in memory of

Nicholas, his family is asking that donations be made to the Volusia/Flagler Junior Golf Association, C/O Lisa Aylwyn, 51 Fairway Circle, New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32168-6342. A trust is in place for scholarships that are awarded annually for high school students committed to the game of golf. Arrangements are under the loving care of Volusia Memorial Funeral Home, Ormond Beach and a celebration of our dear Nick's life will be announced at a later date.