Service to celebrate former Cairns man
One-time Cairns State High School student dies suddenly in US Army
THE heartbroken family of a former Cairns man who died suddenly while serving in the US Army will hold a memorial in his honour, just shy of what would have been his 21st birthday.
Leonid “Leon” Ciuffoli, 20, died in Washington DC on April 12 from what was believed to be an undiagnosed heart condition.
The father-of-one was a year into a military career when the tragedy occurred.
Mum and local Cairns vet Elizaveta Sergeev-Ciuffioli, who travelled to the US with children Anton and Isadora following Leon’s death, has now planned a memorial for the former Cairns State High School student for July 25.
He would have turned 21 on July 28.
Ms Sergeev-Ciuffioli described her son as a proud Cairns product, a gifted boxer and a committed, social young man who loved his family.
“Leon liked to dress smart and enjoyed in particular gold chains and business suits,” she said.
“He spoke well, had good manners, and liked old fashioned music such as Frank Sinatra and Johnny Cash, Slim Dusty and Bob Marley were his favourites.
“Leon was a charming gentleman, he liked to arrive with field flowers at his grandparents’ house, Marina and Val’s.
“He liked to look the part, and to stand out in the crowd.”
The family had to gain special permission to travel to the US during COVID-19 restrictions and were unable to bring Leon home.
Ms Sergeev-Ciuffioli said the memorial would be a chance for Far North friends and family to say goodbye.
“We want to celebrate and honour the life of Leon,” she said.
“Leon’s 21st Birthday would have been the 28th of July, we will take a moment to acknowledge and celebrate this at the service, with him smiling his famous smile on us from above.”
Leon, who took up boxing when he was just nine, became the first graduate of Project Booyah — a program run by police to empower youths.
He moved to the US in his late teens to spend time with his father in California, learned the rules of American football, becoming a wide receiver at his school.
He married his partner Kyria and they had a son, Tak’ari, in September 2018.
Leon joined the US Army and was posted in Washington DC as an Old Guard, laying fallen soldiers to rest with honours.
In his one short year with the army he earned three promotions and was a Private First Class when he died.
Leon’s memorial will be held at Smithfield Central Vets from 1pm on July 25.