An Orange County man who recently traveled to North Florida to help clean up after Hurricane Helene was believed killed by a downed power line clearing debris at home after the latest storm swept through the state.
Harry "Hap" Hopkins, 67, was found dead late Thursday afternoon by Orange County Sheriff's deputies. A statement from the Sheriff's Office said he apparently stepped on the power line while cleaning up his yard after Hurricane Milton. The agency had no additional information Friday evening.
Vance Rains, pastor at First United Methodist Church in Orlando, said Hopkins was a lifelong member of the church -- which his parents had also attended. Rains said Hopkins was there every Sunday and served as an usher at the 11 a.m. Mass. He said Hopkins would always hug him as Mass ended.
"He was the best. A true servant. Always willing to do. Always wanting the best for others," Rains said. "Deeply loved his church and family. A terrible loss for all who knew and loved him."
Hopkins was a member of the church's emergency response team, which helps survivors of disasters.
He and his friend, Walt Beaver, traveled to North Florida last week to clean up debris from Helene, which made landfall Sept. 26 in the Panhandle.
Beaver, a former member of the church men's club with Hopkins, said he was active in several church committees, Bible study, Sunday school and at one point served as a trustee.
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He said the congregation is grieving over the tragic news.
"[He was a] gentle and loving father and husband," Beaver said. "He's fun to be with. Good attitude. Just had a strong faith in Christ. He was well liked and loved by many."
Hopkins, a Central Florida native, spent decades working for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
He was a retired crime lab analyst supervisor at the agency's Orlando office where he managed day-to-day operations of the Forensic Biology/DNA Section, according to his LinkedIn profile,. He was interviewed for a 2003 Orlando Sentinel article about a cold case where improved DNA testing and technology led to arrest of the suspect in a 1991 Orlando rape.
He worked at FDLE from 1982 to 2013, according to his profile. He was a University of Central Florida graduate, attending from 1975 to 1981 and majoring in forensic science with a minor in chemistry.
John Cant, a friend who was flying Friday night to Orlando to be with Hopkins' family, said the two met at church over 16 years ago and became close -- even staying in touch weekly after Cant moved to Texas.
He recalled how Hopkins helped him move his ill sister back home to England -- which was emblematic of the kind of man he was.
"Hap's passing is a beyond devastated event to those that knew him for his 'love your neighbor' and 'want to help' attitude," Cant said.
Hopkins is survived by his wife, Amy; sons Josh and Adam; and former wife, Jill.