FOLLY BEACH, SC (WCSC) – A Lowcountry family says the Folly Beach community will never be the same after they lost their loved one in a fire over the weekend.
The Charleston County Coroner’s Office says 61-year-old David Beltzhoover died at 8:50 pm at the Medical University of South Carolina following a fire at this home Friday night.
Beltzhoover’s family and friends told people know him best from the parking lot behind Rita’s restaurant where he worked as a parking attendant and resided in a small beach shack.
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“Everybody feels the same way about Dave,” Beltzhoover’s friend, Craig Wagner, says. “He was just a really nice guy.”
“He was a fixture here in the parking lot by Rita’s for over ten years,” another friend, Nick Mallis, says.
Wagner says Beltzhoover was one of the first people he met on Folly Beach about 14 years ago.
“The one thing everyone knew about him was out at the volleyball courts, he would get everyone together to have fun,” Wagner says.
Mallis says he knew him for about nine years.
“I loved Folly,” Mallis says. “I loved the Chicago Bears. And most of all, he loved his daughter, Hailee.
“And for a lot of people, especially people from out of town, he was one of the first people that they met,” Wagner says. “Whether he was out at the beach or in the parking lot. “So he greeted everyone with a smile.”
A memorial is laid outside his home with seashells spelling out his nickname, ‘Super Dave’ surrounded by flowers, a signed volleyball, a Folly Beach t-shirt, a coffee cup, Gatorade bottle, newspaper and his picture hanging above it.
“Everybody knew Dave,” Mallis says. “They call him ‘Super Dave’ because he was just so personable and outgoing. “Just lovable.”
“He brought people together out here in the sand and I’ll always remember him for that,” Wagner said.
The Beltzhoover family provided this statement:
Dave was the king of Folly Beach. Everyone called him ‘Smiley Dave,’ ‘Super Dave’ and ‘Parking Lot Dave.’ And this is the greatest loss the community has ever felt. Everyone in this family and the community loved him and cherished him so much. We love you Super Dave.
The family says they painted the Folly Beach Graffiti Boat located near Battery Island Drive in honor of him. The words, “I love you dad” and “In memory of Super Dave” are spray painted in black, yellow, orange and red lettering across the front. The side reads, “Knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door” above his name.
Wagner talks about what he would say to Beltzhoover if he were still here today.
“Thank you for him contributing to the community and making everyone happy,” Wagner says.
Mallis says his final words.
“He’s in a good place, hopefully, and we all love him,” Mallis said.
Sgt. Zach Halpern with the Folly Beach Public Safety District said crews responded at 7:42 pm Friday to a home on the 100 block of East Ashley Avenue after receiving reports of smoke coming from the attic.
Upon arrival, firefighters forced entry into the home and were able to quickly put out the fire. Once it was extinguished, they located the victim in a front bedroom and pulled him out of the house.
He says they attempted life-saving measures on Beltzhoover at the scene.
The cause and manner of death has not been determined.
The cause of the fire has been labeled as undetermined at this time.
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