John Berylson, philanthropist, Millwall F.C. owner, killed in Falmouth crash Tuesday

Denise Coffey, Cape Cod Times
Updated ·2 min read
7

FALMOUTH — John Berylson, a philanthropist, founder of the private equity firm Chestnut Hill Ventures LLC and owner and chairman of the Millwall Football Club in England, was killed in a crash in Falmouth on Tuesday.

The crash happened at around 7:58 a.m. near 120 Sippewissett Road, according to a statement from Falmouth Police Lt. Michael Simoneau. Berylson was the only person in the SUV, which had left the road and was found resting against a tree. Rescue crews used cutting tools to free Berylson from the wreck. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the statement.

Berylson, 70, lived in Wellesley. He is survived by his wife Amy and his three children Jennifer, James and Elizabeth, according to a statement from Millwall Football Club. Berylson first got involved with the club in 2006 and presided over some of the greatest moments in the club's history, according to the statement.

John Berylson, Chairman of Milwall, looks on prior to the Sky Bet Championship match between Milwall and Bristol City at The Den on April 30, 2019 in London, England.
John Berylson, Chairman of Milwall, looks on prior to the Sky Bet Championship match between Milwall and Bristol City at The Den on April 30, 2019 in London, England.

"He lived a storied life, one full of colour and joy, and was infinitely thoughtful of others with an endless desire to share his immense knowledge and experiences to help people," the statement read.

Millwall's captain John Graham said in a video on the club's Facebook page said the outpouring of love and support on social media "is a testament to what a great guy he was."

The club posted a black and white photo of Berylson with the words: "JB Forever a Lion."

Millwall's former CEO Andy Ambler called Berylson "a great guy and a great owner" in a Twitter video posted early Wednesday morning.

He and his wife Amy founded the Amy Smith and John G. Berylson Foundation in 2005 according to Guidestar.org, an online listing of nonprofits and financial records. In 2022, the private foundation gave grants to Milton Academy, Harvard University and the Dana Farber Cancer Clinic, according to Cause IQ, a website about nonprofits.

Here's what happened to Millwall F.C. Chairman John Berylson, according to a preliminary investigation.

A preliminary investigation found that Berylson was driving an SUV south on Sippewissett Road when he lost control of the vehicle on a curve. The vehicle left the roadway, rolled over into a ravine and came to rest against a tree, according to Simoneau's statement.

The crash is being investigated by the Falmouth Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, according to Simoneau.

Berylson earned an undergraduate degree from Brown University, a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a master's from New York University, according to multiple sources.

Denise Coffey writes about business and tourism for the Cape Cod Times. Contact her at dcoffey@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter: @DeniseCoffeyCCT.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Millwall F.C. owner John Berylson killed in crash on Cape Cod