JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A memorial for Dr. Leon Haley, UF Health Jacksonville CEO, was held virtually Friday morning.
At the request of the hospital, First Coast News did not stream the service, but will provide information about it once it concludes.
In December 2020, the Pittsburgh native became the first in Florida to get the COVID-19 vaccine. He believed in leading by being the example.
Haley was laid to rest Saturday morning in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, leaving behind a legacy that will outlive the scores of people who looked up to him.
Haley, who died July 25 in a jet ski accident in South Florida, was widely celebrated within the local medical community for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic as the CEO of UF Health Jacksonville.
Dr. Haley previously served as the dean of Emory School of Medicine and deputy senior vice president of medical affairs at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.
In 2017, Haley moved to Jacksonville to serve as dean of the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville. In 2018, he was chosen as the hospital's first Black CEO in its history.
