Spencer Korwin knew what it meant to be a professional athlete. From competing at the highest levels of triathlon to representing the United States internationally, his career demanded everything. Yet, he always found ways to stay devoted to his wife and two daughters, leaving handwritten notes and arranging messages to remind them how much they meant to him. Now, following his tragic drowning on September 2, those reminders have taken on a heartbreaking meaning.
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Just four days later, his wife, Carly, stood in front of family and friends at Temple Israel in Manhattan to say goodbye to her husband. Through tears, she struggled to accept that the man she loved was gone forever.
“This is a nightmare. This is the worst day of my life. I can’t accept that this is real and that Spencer is not going to come home,” Carly said through sobs. “Spencer was more than I could ever have dreamed of when it came to a husband, a father, and a friend.
“He was the best human I have ever met, and he was the love of my life. We had the most beautiful and special once-in-a-lifetime type of love, and we knew it.”
The tragic incident occurred during what was supposed to be their family vacation. Korwin had taken Carly and their two daughters to an island getaway to Shelter Island. There, the family were staying at The Pridwin Hotel, a waterfront property on the island.
On the morning of September 2, Korwin went for a swim. At around 8 a.m., he entered the water alone from the hotel’s private dock in the Shelter Island Sound, near Crescent Beach and the North Channel.
When he did not return after several hours, a worried Carly alerted hotel staff who then contacted emergency services around noon. A major search followed, bringing together Shelter Island police and firefighters, EMS crews, fire departments and more. Even the U.S. Coast Guard joined the search, but it was to no avail. Eventually, seven hours later, divers found him underwater, recovered him, and pronounced the 38-year-old dead.
For Carly, the sudden loss brought an end to a life the couple had spent years building together. They began dating years after they both graduated from Syracuse University and eventually built a family filled with the moments that Carly now remembers with heartbreak.
“We always said forever isn’t long enough. And I will never be able to make sense as to why this incredible life we built together, filled with happiness and so much love, was ripped away from us in an instant,” she said. “He was filled with surprises and hugs just because.”
As Carly and her daughters move forward without Korwin, those notes and messages will remain small reminders of the life they shared. They also offer a glimpse into the man he was away from the triathlon course and the career he built after his days as a competitive athlete.
Officials believe Korwin died in an accidental drowning; the Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office is expected to determine the official cause and manner of death. While his family waits for those answers, there is much more to remember about the 38-year-old beyond the tragedy that claimed his life.
From Team USA to a life beyond triathlon
Korwin reached the international stage in 2012 when he qualified for Team USA Triathlon through the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships. He went on to represent the United States at the Age-Group Triathlon World Championships in Auckland, New Zealand, competing in the men’s 20-24 sprint event. He finished 36th in his age group with a time of 1:20:43.
His time in competitive triathlon also included first-place finishes at the Montauk Point Lighthouse Triathlon and the Mighty Montauk Sprint Triathlon. His dedication to the sport helped him earn a sponsorship with Gatorade in 2012, a partnership that lasted for five years. After his competitive days, Korwin remained involved in fitness and wellness.
In 2018, Korwin became an investor and adviser with athletic apparel company Ten Thousand. He then started Korwin Health & Wellness in 2021, remaining in the industry he had been in for years. He worked with children in keeping them active, too. Kamp Korwin was created during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 when many children’s summer plans were cancelled, and was rolled out at Southampton.
The outdoor camp was held from late June to Labor Day weekend and was for boys and girls ages 8-18. The camp provided the children with an opportunity to enjoy their summer outdoors, participating in activities such as kayaking, paddleboarding, and water skiing. It was another side of Korwin that went beyond the athlete people knew.
That same love for the outdoors was something his friends and family remembered about him. He enjoyed boating, camping, kayaking, skiing, and surfing, and those interests remained part of the life he built with his family. Now, those memories are among the pieces of his life that Carly and their two young daughters will carry with them.