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Daniel Leopold Horwith
Our beloved Daniel Leopold Horwith died in his apartment in Wappingers Falls, NY on September 7th, 2025. He was 34 years old. Dan was born in Washington, D.C. and moved to Antigua, an island in the Caribbean when he was less than a month old. Dan and his family relocated to Springs in 1998, where he attended Springs School (class of 2005) and East Hampton High School (class of 2009). He went on to attend SUNY New Paltz, where he graduated in 2013. After some time spent traveling and teaching English in Costa Rica, Dan returned to New York to attend Albany Law School, where he earned his J.D. in 2022.
Dan’s early life in the West Indies was full of sun and was spent mostly outdoors. As an infant, it was common for Dan to crawl around the deck in his underwear, and later, for him to come home from Rainbow School, strip to his underwear to cool down, then put on rain boots to run around the yard. The rain boots were meant to keep spiders and other creepy crawlies at bay, but more often than not, a toad had taken residence in his boot and Dan could be seen hopping around in one rain boot, frantically shaking out the other.
Despite these early encounters with wildlife, or perhaps because of them, Dan had a lifelong love of animals. He loved dogs, his own dog Ed in particular, and was a gentle soul who felt deeply connected to all creatures. He had a hugely generous spirit and, on one occasion, literally gave someone the shirt off his back and the boots off his feet. Living in Antigua and then East Hampton, it’s no surprise that Dan had a lifelong love for the ocean. His love of the sea was matched only by his love for the mountains. Dan was an avid snowboarder and, when there was no snow to be found, he spent much of his time in New Paltz hiking the trails that ring Mohonk Mountain.
His sense of exploration led him to see the world. From riding camels on his Birthright trip to Israel, to teaching English in Costa Rica, to doing handstands across Europe, no matter where he was, Dan was known and loved by everyone lucky enough to join in his journeys.
He charted new paths, never afraid to lead, often shirtless and shoeless. If he got the sense you were having a bad day, he would make it his mission to turn that day around by showing you the beauty of life. He saw through your words and was able to read your energy, knowing what you needed and helping you see the beauty in the smallest things. He lived life to the fullest with each step.
Dan’s warmth wasn’t just reserved for his friends and family. He could connect with anybody and only needed a minute to make you feel like he was your new best friend. He was quick with a joke and equally quick to laugh. In the words of his grandfather, who predeceased Dan by only one year, he was a “kibbutzer” through and through.
Dan is survived by his parents, Bruce, Max, David and Jane, by his ex-wife, Nini, and by his siblings, Gus, Sarah, Pete, and Rachael, as well as their spouses and children. He also leaves a gaping hole in a broad fabric of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
Dan’s family will be establishing a scholarship for East Hampton High School students in his name. In lieu of flowers, they invite you to make a donation to the scholarship fund. For more information, please contact the family.
A celebration of life will be held at Clearwater Beach on October 23rd. More details will be published in the week preceding the event.
Staff Writer on Sep 19, 2025