Colleagues, friends and family are describing the 41-year-old Fort Lauderdale woman that died in Thursday’s moped accident as kind and full of positive energy.
Julie Harris, who grew up north of Chicago, was the senior marketing communications manager and public education director at DeNova Detect, a natural gas alarm company based in the Chicago area. She had moved to Florida during the pandemic, according to her colleagues, and was recently visiting the Cape and Islands on vacation.
Local public safety officials say that Harris was the driver of a moped that collided with a white Jeep Wrangler on Sea View Avenue in Oak Bluffs, near Big Bridge. A passenger on the moped, 40-year-old Anya Fisher of Boston, was also critically injured.
Local authorities say that Harris died at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Her death came as a shock to those that knew her.
“She he was just one of the sweetest souls you would ever meet,” said Brianna Cefaratti, a cousin of Harris.
Cefaratti said that she was very close to Harris, and that they spent a lot of time together starting at a young age. Cefaratti said that she had moved to Florida to be closer to Harris, and the last time she saw her cousin was during her baby shower a few months ago.
As a testament to her generosity, Cefaratti said that the both of them recently helped a homeless man in Florida, buying him groceries and water and other goods. “We got him two huge bags of food and gave him some money because he was getting kicked out of a hotel he was staying at,” Cefaratti said. “That’s who she was. She would help anyone. She would give the shirt off her back.”
Coworkers of Harris also described her as caring.
“Not only was Julie a hardworking, dedicated and accomplished professional dedicated to promoting public safety, she was also a sweet soul,” COO of DeNova Detect, Ron Lazarus, said in a statement to local media. “She had so much positive energy and always had a kind word for everyone. We are a very close team and Julie’s sudden and tragic death has devastated us.
“We will always remember her ever-present smile and good humor, as well her empathy and support for those in need,” Lazarus said.
According to family and DeNova, Harris grew up in a northern suburb of Chicago and earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from DePaul University.
Harris worked with DeNova in marketing for almost four years, where she largely promoted the use of natural gas alarms. Company officials say that some members of our team spoke with her just an hour before her death. She was scheduled to do an interview the following day with a Baltimore TV station after a deadly gas explosion.
DeNova Detect issued a release saying that Harris was also the founder and CEO of a not-for profit group called Exceptional Women’s Network that is dedicated to supporting and nurturing female leadership.
Enough with the mopeds. They are not just dangerous, they’re deadly.
Enough with the cars. They are not just dangerous, they’re deadly.
Epically tragic. We all know a sister or daughter or cousin like this wonderful woman.
Is the survivor Anya Fisher in stable condition and out of danger yet in Boston?
I just read somewhere that we take 20,000 breaths a day. I had never done the math. Enjoy every breath.
William Shakespeare once said, “The eyes are the window to your soul.” One look at Julie’s eyes and smile would say more more about her than words could ever adequately describe.
My loving Aunt Carle wrote the following to me in a letter many years ago at a very difficult time in my life. She had read it in a condolence card received shortly after her “ray-of-sunshine-son,” Nelson, passed on at age 15 from Leukemia and she wanted me to have it as well: ” ‘Remembered joy can break the heart. But who…, even on the darkest day, would choose to have missed the joy.’ And this is how I survive remembering the joy he gave us.”
Until you meet with your loved ones again, sweet Julie…, may God hold you in the palm of His Hand…. (From the Irish Blessing)
Someone just rode a bicycle by our house, on the bike path, saying, “I wish I had a bell”.