On May 16th 2021, Tony Laughlin was in a fatal car accident while traveling to Miami for work. Tony is survived by his wife and daughter.. He was a loving father, husband, son, brother, and friend. He danced through life spreading positivity, encouraging others to follow their dreams, and pouring love into anyone who crossed his path.
The Tony Laughlin Memorial Fund creates charitable fundraising experiences that spread positivity and love by bringing people together to celebrate life and connect with others. Our events and fundraisers will allow Tony’s spirit and way of life to live on while raising funds that will directly impact communities worldwide wide wide.
Our Impact
One of Tony’s favorite pastimes was golf. From teaching at the Glen Club, to his time at Motus Global and Guided Knowledge, Tony made a career doing what he loved.
To celebrate Tony’s life and legacy in the game of golf, the Tony Laughlin Memorial Fund will be hosting Rad Golf Fest. A one of a kind Golf Festival that will bring people together to celebrate life the way Tony did, with friends, family, golf, good food and drinks, music, and contests to raise funds for a great cause.
Embracing Our Differences is a nonprofit celebrating individuality and shared humanity through art and education. While living in Sarasota, Florida, Tony and his family visited Embracing Our Differences’ annual exhibit that features thought-provoking artwork from around the world. He was a volunteer and an active supporter, bringing family and friends to the exhibit often.
The Tony Laughlin Memorial Fund’s annual donation to Embracing Our Differences allows Tony’s daughter to select a piece of art to sponsor at their annual exhibit. The panel at the exhibit represents a small piece of Tony and allows him to still be present in her community. The photo above is the picture of her choice for 2025, A Journey Through Personal Paths.
See Embracing Our Differences website and annual report below for more info on Embracing Our Differences events and programs.
The resources below have helped us navigate the grieving process.
We hope they can help you, too.
Tony’s Book of Memories
When we lose someone, stories are the greatest gift we are left with. It is the stories and memories that honor the life that was lived. It is the stories that keep us connected. Capturing these stories - the toasts, the tributes, the funny anecdotes - allows loved ones to revisit those moments over and over again.
We are currently gathering stories about Tony (Walter Anthony) Laughlin to create a book for his daughter to learn about who he was and for anyone else to be able to purchase a copy. Please follow the link below to Submit a Story and learn more about the Forced Joy Project
Celebrating Life with Music
Tony danced through life, spreading positivity and joy to everyone around him. Growing up, he learned to play the saxophone, guitar, and drums. He had a deep passion for discovering new music and sharing it with others.
When you lose someone you love, music can be incredibly healing. It takes us back to the memories we shared — moments of happiness, sadness, gratitude, and everything in between. Music has a way of transporting us through time. It offers an outlet for grief and helps us access our deepest emotions, allowing us to explore, experience, and eventually accept them.
When we lost Tony, we created the Celebrating Tony Laughlin playlist to capture songs he would have loved and to spark memories and emotions from the time we spent together. We invited family and friends to contribute, helping us create a soundtrack to celebrate Tony’s life. We encourage anyone who has lost someone to do the same.
Take a listen to our Rad Golf Fest playlist on Spotify — and feel free to contribute by adding songs of your own.
Researching the Science and Process of Healing from Grief
Tony was a leader, a teacher, and someone deeply grounded in science. He was always eager to learn from top researchers in any field he was interested in, so he could share that knowledge with others.
When you lose someone in your life, it requires you to rebuild your relationship with that person — and with all the plans you had for the future. Beyond seeking therapy and counseling, we encourage you to explore insights from experts who are researching the most effective ways to navigate your personal grieving process.
Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist and tenured professor at Stanford University, specializes in neurobiology and ophthalmology. In the link below, he discusses grief, the challenges of processing different types of loss, and the biological mechanisms behind grief — including how neural circuits for emotional and factual memory interact with those for love and attachment to produce feelings of absence and yearning. The link includes Dr. Huberman’s full podcast, along with additional resources, books, and studies for those going through the grieving process.
