A former Team USA triathlete and father of two drowned while swimming near his luxury Shelter Island hotel during a family vacation on Long Island.
Spencer Korwin, 38, of Manhattan, was found dead beneath a dock at The Pridwin Hotel shortly after 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2.
Korwin had been staying at the upscale hotel with his wife and two young daughters, ages 4 and 1.
According to local reports, he crossed the street from the hotel and entered the Shelter Island Sound shortly before 8 a.m. for a swim.
When he failed to return, Korwin was reported missing.
Authorities quickly launched what police described as an “extensive multi-agency effort” involving several local police departments and the U.S. Coast Guard.
A Southold dive team later discovered Korwin’s body underwater near the hotel dock where he had entered the water.
Officials believe his death was an accidental drowning, though the Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet announced the official cause and manner of death.
Investigators said there did not appear to be anything unusual about the weather or visibility that morning.
“There wasn’t anything unusual,” Southold Town Police Department Marine One master John Kirincic told the Shelter Island Reporter. “There was no fog or anything bad.”
Korwin was a well-known athlete and wellness entrepreneur with an impressive competitive background.
After graduating from Syracuse University in 2010, he represented the United States at the 2012 triathlon World Championship in Auckland, New Zealand.
He later became a sponsored Gatorade athlete for five years.
During the summer of 2020, Korwin also operated an outdoor summer camp for children in Southampton, according to his LinkedIn page.
In 2021, he founded Korwin Health & Wellness, a personalized fitness and holistic health company focused on developing health and fitness plans that fit clients’ lifestyles.
Following his death, a GoFundMe was created to support his wife and young daughters.
“Spencer was a beloved husband, father, son, brother, and friend,” the fundraiser said.
“He was the sun around which so many of our lives orbited, and his loss is being felt deeply by everyone who knew and loved him.”
The tragedy also prompted renewed warnings from Shelter Island residents and officials about swimming in the area.
“People are not familiar with the waters around here,” resident Laurie Eckardt told the Shelter Island Reporter.
Shelter Island Police Chief Jim Read said the water near The Pridwin is not generally considered especially dangerous, but warned that swimmers still need to be aware of changing conditions.
“These are open waters where tides, currents and boat traffic are always considerations,” Read said.
Korwin’s funeral is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Temple Israel in Manhattan.
