Nicholas Spiridon Platis

In Loving Memory of Nicholas

September 4, 2007 – July 27, 2026

Nicholas Platis, 18, of Boca Raton, Florida, passed away on Monday, July 27, 2026, in Fort Myers, Florida.

Nicholas was born on September 4, 2007, in Boca Raton to Jim and Elizabeth Platis, sharing his birthday with one of his grandmothers. From the moment he entered the world, he brought immeasurable joy, pride, and love to his family.

Nicholas was exceptionally bright, with a remarkable mind and wisdom far beyond his years. He was an honor student who took advanced classes from a young age and had recently graduated from St. John Paul II Academy. Throughout the years, he received many academic and athletic honors.

A gifted athlete, Nicholas excelled in baseball, competed in travel soccer at a very high level, and later developed a deep love for ice hockey. Although he began hockey later than many others, his determination, discipline, and work ethic helped him become an excellent skater and competitor. Nicholas was a perfectionist who believed that anything worth achieving required dedication and perseverance.

As talented as he was, Nicholas’s greatest gift was his heart.

He was respectful, kind, generous, loving, humble, and deeply thoughtful. A young man of sincere faith, he loved God and lived his beliefs quietly. He was also wonderfully funny and quick-witted, bringing laughter and warmth wherever he went.

Nicholas never boasted or sought recognition. Only after his passing did his family fully understand how many lives he had touched. His friends described him as their voice of reason and the person they trusted for guidance, encouragement, and honest advice. He helped them with relationships, finances, business ideas, and important life decisions. Many said Nicholas was more than a friend—he was truly a brother.

He listened without judgment, gave generously of himself, and taught others lessons they will carry for the rest of their lives. Nicholas did not simply touch people’s hearts; he touched their souls.

Fishing was one of Nicholas’s greatest passions. When he was about 10 years old, he went on his first fishing charter with his father, younger brother, and uncle, who was also his godfather. That night, he caught the largest fish on the boat—a beautiful mutton snapper—and won the fishing pool. From that moment on, he was hooked.

Nicholas became remarkably knowledgeable about fishing, from species and locations to bait, equipment, techniques, and rigs. He could help someone catch nearly any fish they hoped to find, and he generously taught many others everything he knew. His work at True Value Fishing, with its extensive bait-and-tackle department, perfectly reflected the passion he loved so deeply.

Nicholas was the beloved son of Jim and Elizabeth Platis; the loving brother of Christian Platis and Megan Gotta; the cherished grandson of Voula and Spiro Platis and William and Nancy Ehrlinger; the beloved nephew of Emmanuel Platis and Susan Platis; and the loving uncle of Roman and Ethan.

Christian looked up to his older brother, and Nicholas loved him deeply. He also shared a close and enduring bond with his older sister, Megan. His presence made his family stronger, happier, and more complete. His loss has left an immeasurable emptiness, but his love, humor, guidance, and example will remain with them forever.

The response following Nicholas’s passing has shown just how widely he was loved. Many friends, relatives, neighbors, classmates, teammates, coaches, and members of the Boca Raton, hockey, and fishing communities have offered prayers, brought food, shared memories, and surrounded his family with compassion and support.

Each story has revealed another beautiful part of the young man Nicholas had become and given his family another reason to be deeply proud of him.

Nicholas was an angel on earth, blessed with intelligence, athletic ability, determination, humor, humility, faith, compassion, generosity, and an extraordinary capacity to love. His family cannot understand why someone so young and so good was taken from them, but they find comfort in their faith and in the hope that God called Nicholas home for a purpose they cannot yet see.

His life was far too short, but it was filled with meaning. In only 18 years, Nicholas loved, taught, inspired, and accomplished more than many do in a lifetime. His legacy will live on through his family, friends, teammates, classmates, and every person whose life was made better because he was part of it.

A viewing and visitation will be held on Friday, August 7, 2026, at Glick Funeral Home in Boca Raton, Florida, from 3:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

A church service will be held on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at St. Mark’s Greek Orthodox Church, followed by burial at Boca Raton Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made in Nicholas’s memory to the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida or Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing.

The Platis family expresses its deepest gratitude to the entire Boca Raton community, their extended family and friends, and Nicholas’s hockey and fishing families. Words cannot fully express their appreciation for the love shown to Nicholas throughout his life or for the prayers, kindness, generosity, and support surrounding them now.

The family also wishes to thank every person who guided, encouraged, helped, and loved Nicholas throughout his lifetime. To his coaches, teachers, friends, relatives, mentors, and all those who played a part in his life: your influence, care, and love helped shape him into the extraordinary human being he became. His family will be forever grateful for everything you gave him and for the lasting place you held in his heart.

Nicholas was loved beyond measure. He will be missed every moment of every day, remembered in every story, and carried forever in the hearts of all who knew him.

He made his family better simply by being part of it.

He made the world better because he was in it.

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