LETTER: Thank you from our family

October 7, 2026

To the Community:

During this horrible and heartbreaking time, our family wants to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who has surrounded us with love, kindness, prayers, messages, and support.

Vinny Viola, 2010-2026, at Warren Skatepark in 2025. Family photo

To our family, friends, neighbors, and the entire community — we see your kindness, and we feel your love. Every phone call, every message, every hug, every kind word, and every gesture of support has meant more than we could ever put into words. We are deeply grateful that we don’t have to walk through this pain alone.

Vinny was truly one of a kind. He was kind, caring, and funny, with a personality that could light up a room. He had a way of making people laugh, bringing people together, and making those around him feel welcome. He was the light in so many people’s lives, and his laughter and sense of humor will be deeply missed.

Vinny loved his friends deeply. The friendships he made meant so much to him, and the memories, adventures, laughs, and good times he shared with them will always be a part of his story.

He also had an incredible love for his dogs. They were more than pets to him — they were family, companions, and a source of so much happiness. Anyone who knew Vinny knew how much his dogs meant to him.

Vinny loved being outdoors and living life to the fullest. He loved skateboarding and snowboarding, the feeling of being outside, the freedom, the adventure, and the excitement that came with it. Those passions were such a big part of who he was.

And then there was Vermont. Vinny had a special love for this beautiful place he called home — the mountains, the snow, the seasons, the outdoors, and the people. Vermont was a part of him, and we hope that whenever you see the mountains, watch the snow fall, or take in the beauty of this state, you’ll think of him.

Vinny’s kindness, humor, friendships, love for his dogs, his adventurous spirit, and the light he brought into so many lives will never be forgotten.

Thank you for loving Vinny, for remembering him, and for standing beside our family during this unimaginable time. Your love and support have carried us through days when we didn’t know how we would take another step.

With love and gratitude,

LeAnna Montgomery and the family of Vinny Viola