John Taylor McLay, 23, of Boynton Beach, FL, passed away on August 19, 2026. He lit up every room he ever walked into — funny, kind, smart, and endlessly caring, with a smile and a pair of dimples that people never forgot. To know John was to love him, and life will never look the same without him.

From the time he was a little boy, John was happy, loving, and always making people laugh. He grew up in Florida and loved the sunshine, soaking up every bit of the outdoor life it gave him. He attended St. Joseph's Episcopal School from Pre-K through 8th grade, a time he cherished — he loved his friends and teachers there so much that he kept several of those friendships all the way to today. He was a natural at any sport he tried. Baseball was an early love, spent playing for the East Boynton Little League for many years alongside his cousin Collin, coached for a season by his uncle Chris. He also spent years on a bowling team at AMF, where he had the time of his life. He loved to play golf with his sister, cousin, and friends. He and his sister shared such a special bond growing up together, sharing videos and laughs about so many shared experiences.

John adored his family and made sure everyone knew it. He was especially close with his Nene Betty, whom he loved so much, always finding ways to help her and make her laugh. He was the funny one on every family trip — and there were so many good ones. On the family's unforgettable trip to Africa, John's dream was to see rhinos, and the family made it happen, visiting a rhino reserve and even feeding a baby rhino at the orphanage. Summers in Cape Cod with the family's closest friends gave them years of laughter and memories — getting buried in the sand, ice cream walks, and swimming in the ocean. He never turned down a game of ping pong with Vovô, whom he loved dearly and always had such fun times with, and coming home with stories from his flying adventures that always had everyone laughing. He loved all of the family's celebrations and gatherings with his sister, Therese; mom; Uncle Chris and Aunt Nayat; cousins, Kevin and Collin; grandmother, Nene Betty; and close family friends — this was a family that was always up for a celebration. John and his mother shared a truly special bond — in addition to being his mother, she was one of his best friends, a confidant, and a mentor. He loved sharing funny videos with her and always telling her all about his day and his plans for the future. He was helpful and caring and always there when we needed him. He enjoyed baseball games, hockey games, golf, and flying with his father and Diane, and he would always be excited to let them know when he was flying into local airports in New England so they could watch him land and take videos of him landing. John was a true dog lover, and over the years shared a special bond with Moose, Speedy, Bobo, Coco, TJ, and Aussie.

John was living his dream. He was a First Officer at NetJets, flying the Embraer Phenom, a job he had worked so hard for and was so proud to have earned. Before NetJets, he served as Captain on the PC-12 at PlaneSense until April of this year, and before that, he was a flight instructor at American Flyers, where he was known and loved by everyone — helpful, friendly, and an exceptional mentor to the students lucky enough to fly with him. Flying ran deep in his story from the very beginning: his sister, Therese, was his flight instructor at Palm Beach Flight Training throughout his early training, teaching him every rating and certification up through his multi-engine license. Their bond, forged in a cockpit, was one of the great and special relationships of his life. He also shared a special bond with Tyler, his future brother-in-law — the two were best buddies who loved getting together to watch movies or play video games. John was a good friend, the best son, and a devoted brother. He was smart and accomplished at anything he set his mind to. His life was cut far too short, but the joy, humor, and love he gave so freely will be carried by everyone who was fortunate enough to know him.

John is survived by his mother, Deborah Donnelly-McLay; his sister, Therese McLay; his father, Matthew McLay, and stepmother, Diane; his grandmother, Betty Roland; his Uncle Chris; Aunt Nayat; cousins Kevin and Collin; his future brother-in-law, Tyler; his Vovô, Márcia; and his dog, Moose.

Viewing hours will be held on Friday, August 28, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Boynton Memorial Chapel, 800 West Boynton Beach Blvd, Boynton Beach, FL 33426, followed by a noon service at St. Joseph's Episcopal Church, 3300 S Seacrest Blvd, Boynton Beach, FL 33435. A private burial for family and close friends will follow at Boynton Beach Mausoleum, 1611 S Seacrest Blvd, Boynton Beach, FL 33435. In honor of John's favorite color, the family requests that guests wear any shade of blue if possible.

Fly high, John. You will forever light up our lives.

A future scholarship fund will be set up in John's name.