***This article was updated Sunday night with new information about the event.
Marblehead residents will soon have a chance to say farewell to a beloved community member as he prepares to relocate permanently to Florida.
Nikolay Kuzmina, 39, is moving to Miami with his sister following the death of his 75-year-old mother, who was killed in a single-vehicle crash in Marblehead on Jan. 8. Kuzmina spent his entire life in town and is a graduate of Marblehead High School.
Dave Aldrich, owner of Grab the Bagel, is organizing a farewell gathering for Kuzmina at the Warwick Theatre on Saturday, Jan. 31, from 10 a.m. to noon. Aldrich is asking people to come at different times. Here is the schedule:
Last names A-F 10 a.m.; G-L 10:30 a.m.; M-R 11 a.m.; S-z 11:30 p.m.
“If you can’t join Nikolay on Saturday, you can send a 10-15 second video to nikolaymbh@gmail.com,” Aldrich wrote on Facebook. “We’ll be circulating a book so you can write a personal note.”
On Saturday night, Kuzmina’s sister Olga Golinder emailed the Current, “We would like to thank all from the bottom of our hearts for the incredible support and kindness since our mom tragically passed. We are so grateful to the community, family and friends. Nikolay is looking forward to seeing his friends next week.”
Kuzmina became a familiar and well-loved figure last spring when the Marblehead High School track team surprised him with a new blue tricycle after his previous one was damaged by a pothole. He was often seen riding the trike nearly every day around the high school parking lot, a sight that brought smiles to many in town.
Stay with the Current for new details about the sendoff event.
