Jim Darcangelo gave himself to lacrosse. His family wants to continue that legacy.

Darcangelo, a National Lacrosse Hall of Fame player and co-founder of Lax World, died last Saturday at his home in Florida. A medical examiner determined this week that his death was due to complications from a recent bicycle accident, not cardiac arrest, as the family believed at first. He was 67.

Darcangelo’s son, Jaret, and daughter, Samantha, wrote a letter to US Lacrosse commemorating their father and requesting that a memorial fund be established in his name.

“We weren’t prepared to lose Dad, and with his passing we feel a piece of us has gone with him,” they wrote. “He was an incredible lacrosse player. Yet, you’d never be able to tell from talking to him, as one of the foremost principles he taught us was to, ‘Be humble.’ As good of a lacrosse player as he was, he was an even better man.

“He set the example for us — work hard, be determined and when you think you’ve given it your all, you always have a little more to give. Dad was a self-made man who prided himself, more than anything, on the relationships he had. A more generous and selfless man you could not find. Jimmy ‘Darky’ Darcangelo…Dad…has left his mark on us all. His legacy will live on forever in the lacrosse community and in our hearts.”

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages contributions in Jim’s memory to US Lacrosse, 2 Loveton Circle, Sparks, MD 21152, uslacrosse.org/darcangelo.

Daracangelo was a three-time All-American at Towson and three-time U.S. team member. He opened the first Lax World in Towson, Md., with his business partner Lance Holden in 1988. Lax World became a pillar of the lacrosse community and the sport’s first national retail chain.

As the remembrances of the lacrosse legend come pouring in, Darcangelo’s family also is encouraging people who knew him well to share their stories via email (jdarcangelo228@gmail.com) or send letters to Jaret Darcangelo, 110 Regatta Way, Sneads Ferry, NC 28460.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DARCANGELO FAMILY

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE DARCANGELO FAMILY

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DARCANGELO FAMILY