A Day on the Beach for TK

If the packed Rockaway Park beaches were any indication…TK will never be forgotten. On Saturday, July 14, hundreds of people came out for a beautiful day of volleyball on the beach, one of late firefighter Timmy Klein’s favorite activities.

On April 24, 2022, Klein’s life was tragically cut short while responding to a fire in Canarsie. The Rockaway resident was 31. But he’ll never be forgotten.

For the fourth year, Klein’s family and friends organized the Timmy Klein Beach Volleyball Tournament. Home base was Beach 121st for check-in and t-shirt sales, while DJs blasted some of Klein’s favorite tunes, the FDNY boat blasted their cannons and a plane flew overhead with the message, “Forever in our hearts, TK.”  But the volleyball action spread on courts from Beach 118th to Beach 123rd Street with 112 teams serving and spiking their way through the tournament. By the end, team Skyball City, led by captain Chris Darcy, was crowned champs.

“From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to everyone who made Year 4 of the Timmy Klein Volleyball Tournament such a meaningful and successful day,” the tournament committee shared on Instagram. “To our amazing players, spectators, volunteers, referees, sponsors, day-of helpers, and the entire community — your support, spirit, and generosity brought this event to life. Timmy was a true hero — brave, selfless, and full of life. We miss him every single day, but seeing everyone come together in his honor reminds us how deeply he continues to impact the world. Thank you for helping us celebrate his legacy with love, laughter, and a little friendly competition. Until next year…”

For updates about next year’s tournament, follow @timmykleinvballtourney on Instagram.

Photos by Katie McFadden and the TK Volleyball Committee.