Obituary of Emily Rose Storm

Emily Rose Storm, formerly known as Nicholas Arthur Kaplan, succumbed to their struggle with mental health and the taxing MTF transition process on October 10th, 2021, at the age of twenty-one.  

Born March 24, 2000 in Mount Kisco, NY to Margaret and Gary Kaplan. They are survived by both parents, sister, Valerie Kaplan and her husband Joseph Long, and both paternal grandparents, Marjorie and Stewart Kaplan. Emily leaves behind their Aunts and Uncles Thomas Dermako, L Timothy Dermako and his wife and Godmother Hazel Dermako and their cousins Hannah and McKayla Dermako as well as Allisa Kaplan Shubar and her husband Michael Shubar.  We hope that Emily has been welcomed into the arms of their loved ones that passed before them, including maternal grandparents, Louis and Margaret Dermako.

To all who knew them, Emily was a kind and loving friend, a beautiful, brilliant and bright human being. Emily touched the lives of every person that they interacted with, as evidenced by the multitude of communities that have been affected by their passing.

Emily dedicated their life to helping those in need, whether it was through the years of service as a volunteer firefighter/ EMT at the Vista Fire Department and Katonah/ Bedford Hills Ambulance Corp, the years they spent working full time in the EMS field with Westchester EMS, or the multitude of community service hours they contributed throughout their career in the Boy Scouts of America, as a proud Eagle Scout and vigil member of the Order of the Arrow.

Emily was a graduate of the John Jay High School class of 2018 and was in school at Westchester Community College at the time of their passing, studying to be a paramedic.

Emily had a love of the ocean and enjoyed trips to the coast of Maine, where they had visited every summer with their family. As a lover of the ocean, Emily had future plans of studying marine biology. Emily also enjoyed the great outdoors and as a child, spent most of their time outside running around, hitting trees with sticks and wiffleball bats. As they grew older, the sticks and wiffleball bats were traded in for tent stakes and hammocks slung between trees. Emily enjoyed camping with friends, rock climbing at local indoor gyms, and blasting music at three o’clock in the morning.  Emily was an avid gamer and took pride their skills and abilities in that virtual world.

While growing up and being active in the Boy Scouts of America, Emily was able to enjoy and experience so many happy memories while in attendance of the multiple camps, up and down the east coast, that their grandparents sponsored them through whether it was weeks of camps in Florida or the freezing tundra of Maine plus all New York camps, they were always happy to engage in all activities they offered. These experiences encouraged Emily’s love of the outdoors, and through her best friend, Tyler Videla continued to make those happy memories through camping and other adventures.

Emily’s was a life taken too soon from this world. Those that loved them will never understand the reasons as to why they left, but will forever have the memories shared between them in their hearts. 

The world is already so full of darkness, so be like Emily and be a bright and brilliant light in the world. Hold your loved ones a bit tighter, tell people you love them, and spread kindness not negativity. Have conversations about mental health and check in on one another. If one thing can be taken away from their passing, it is that life is too short, so tell people you love them, while you still have the chance to do so.

Emily’s family will receive friends on Sunday, October 17, 2021 from 2:00 - 6:00pm at Clark Associates Funeral Home, 4 Woods Bridge Road, Katonah, NY.  The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, October 18, 2021 at 10:00 am at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton RC Church, 1377 East Main Street, Shrub Oak, NY.

Following the Funeral Mass, Emily’s family would like to invite all to a reception to celebrate Emily Rose Storm at the Town of Lewisboro Onatru Farm Park, 99 Elmwood Road, South Salem, NY 10590.