Nicholas Tropnas Helped Families in Need—You Can Too

He was a brother, an uncle, a son of Brooklyn. And to family, friends, coworkers, and the many children he inspired, Nicholas Tropnas was much more. He knew how to be present—showing compassion, generosity, and true support. “They always wanted Nicholas there,” Jay Alban, a friend and Floating Hospital colleague, said of the kids he guided at Camp Rise Up. “They felt better with him around.” 

It was a huge loss when he passed in November 2024, one that the kids who confided in him and relied on his advice are still mourning. Like many of the young male staffers who work at The Floating Hospital, he understood that the children and teens, who come here for healthcare and many other services, could use a big brother to help them navigate their growing pains, made even more challenging while dealing with homelessness and other trauma. 

A family’s tribute

Understanding how important The Floating Hospital was to Nicholas both as a career and a personal vocation, his family created The Nicholas Tropnas Memorial Fund to support two things he cared about deeply: helping children experience Camp Rise Up and giving families access to care when cost stands in the way. 

According to his family, Nicholas was a passionate employee who, from his early years, excelled at jobs where he worked with youth at places such as the Police Athletic League and Chelsea Piers. He thrived at The Floating Hospital, rising from patient navigator to benefits counselor and then the outreach department. He was popular with his coworkers as well, who described him as genuine, funny, driven, and practical in how he helped families find real support. 

Manifesting positive change

Nicholas brought joy into hard spaces. He could be fun and irreverent while remaining deeply focused on the people in front of him. Patients felt his commitment to their cases. Colleagues appreciated his ability to lighten a difficult day. He always found ways to deepen the mission, looking to do more.

At Camp Rise Up, kids asked for him by name, felt seen and safe around him, and understood that he believed in them. Jay recalled the pillow fights that Nicholas helped instigate that allowed the campers to let go on their last night away from the city. “He was amazed at how much positivity we could do for these kids” at camp and how it continued into their visits to the clinic.

Last year was the first year he was not at camp and the kids who knew him were devastated. One staffer there recalled a camper saying, “Nick was the first person who believed in me.” The teen was a counselor in training at his urging, but said “it’s so sad because he’s not here.”

A legacy that continues

The Nicholas Tropnas Memorial Fund was created to benefit the two programs he championed during his time here: Camp Rise Up, where children learn while they build confidence, community, and resilience, and The Floating Hospital's healthcare access programs, which ensure that no family is turned away because of cost or a gap in coverage.

At a time when resources are tighter than ever, a gift to this fund is a direct investment in the values Nicholas lived by. It helps guarantee that every child who wants to attend camp will have a place — and that every family who needs care can access it without fear of the bill.

If you would like to donate to the fund, please click the button below.