Kayaker who helped start Cuyahoga Falls Fest dies in West Virginia cliff diving accident

An area outdoorsman who helped create what is now known as the Cuyahoga Falls Fest, died Tuesday after a cliff diving accident at Summersville Lake in West Virginia.

Tommy Piros, 24, worked as a river raft guide in Ohiopyle State Park on the Youghiogheny River in Pennsylvania, and was guiding on the New River in West Virginia this summer. He had returned to Northeast Ohio for the Cuyahoga Falls Fest every April to kayak the Cuyahoga River, said his brother, Dan Piros.

His brother said Tommy Piros was an expert cliff diver, a sport that at Summersville Lake involves diving off of steep cliffs surrounding parts of the lake into the water.

"A lot of people will do tricks and you can do flips," he said. "He was doing a double back flip into the water and when he landed in the water he landed wrong and got severe head trauma − brain trauma.

"He's been cliff jumping his entire life, like he's gone multiple, multiple places, and he's a very accomplished cliff jumper − very, very experienced. That's why it was very shocking because he's been doing it for a long time and was very good at it. So, a weird accident like this was very unexpected."

Tommy Piros, who grew up in North Olmsted, was a co-founder, along Cuyahoga Falls resident Nic Williams, of the 2016 Cuyahoga Falls Kayak Race, an event that attracted world-class competitors to Northeast Ohio. The annual race has grown to become the Cuyahoga Falls Fest, an event that encourages paddlers to test their abilities on the river.

Cuyahoga Falls resident Don Howdyshell, Cuyahoga Falls Fest coordinator, told Beacon Journal partner News 5 Cleveland that he met Tommy Piros in 2015.

"Tommy is larger than life − larger than his personality − always brought positivity and encouragement and motivation," Howdyshell said. "He would take the time out of his day to help people improve and be the best person they could be ... He would take the time to lift people up."

Dam removed: Kayakers to spotlight the whitewater of the Cuyahoga River in Cuyahoga Falls

Running the river now a tradition for many

Originally a competition between highly skilled paddlers able to handle the Cuyahoga River's difficult Class IV and V rapids, the event has evolved to welcome paddlers of a wide range of abilities, as the river offers varying degrees of difficulty.

Individuals are encouraged to form groups with their peers and choose sections to paddle based on their experience and gear.

More: Kayakers invited to test the rapids on the Cuyahoga River

The competition aspect was discontinued because it was difficult to predict water conditions for scheduled race days, Howdyshell previously said.

There were 22 participants in the 2016 race and Tommy Piros tied for the overall first-place title with Adam Homberg from Maryland. They each recorded a race time of 5:01 over the half-mile course that started at the put-in and spectator area below the Portage Trail Bridge and ended at the Weeping Cliff rapids below the High Bridge Glens viewing area.

Dan Piros said an uncle in Akron introduced his entire family to the Cuyahoga River well before the idea for a kayak race came about.

"My parents and everybody, my parents and my grandparents and uncles and aunts all canoed and kayaked. And so as a whole family, collectively, we were always at the river."

Tommy Piros loved the outdoors

In addition to cliff jumping, kayaking and rafting in the summer, Tommy Piros enjoyed skiing and snowboarding in the winter.

"He did multiple things, like he worked at ski resorts in the winter time. He's kind of just been, like, bouncing around doing outdoor activity jobs," Dan Piros said, adding that his brother had hoped one day to design kayaks.

He was also a member of Tennessee-based Jackson Kayak's regional whitewater team.

Dan Piros said the sponsorship enabled his brother to test and show off the company's equipment at events around the country.

More: You can now paddle through CVNP to Cleveland on Cuyahoga River after Brecksville Dam removal

The company issued a statement, addressing the Piros family, regarding Tommy Piros' death.

"As a Team Paddler, Tommy showcased an extreme zest for life and creativity. He was unique in his own style, humility, and how he approached the river − which made him an absolutely joy to watch and follow.

"He was always incredibly kind, polite and carried his enthusiasm into the interactions with our office staff in Tennessee, to the point where they have said, we need more Team like Tommy ..."

The Piros family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with medical expenses incurred after the accident. As of Wednesday evening, the page had surpassed the goal of $25,000.

Eric Marotta can be reached at emarotta@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarottaEric.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Tommy Piros, who helped found Cuyahoga River Fest, dies cliff diving