Nyla Lynn Holland
September 14, 2004 — March 2, 2025
In Loving Memory of Nyla Lynn Holland:
Nyla Lynn Holland, 20, of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., passed away on Sunday, March 2, 2025, while attending the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Nyla was born on Sept. 14, 2004, in West Palm Beach, Fla., to her loving parents, Jaime and Rebekah. Family was of utmost importance to Nyla. She loved her siblings Jaime and Moriah immensely. She greatly enjoyed spending time with her grandparents and cousins, Ariana and Karina, in Florida and visiting her family in Virginia. Nyla was raised in Lake Worth, Fla., and educated within the Palm Beach County School District, where she attended Poinciana Elementary, Don Estridge High Tech Middle, and Atlantic and Park Vista High schools. Nyla was academically gifted, an avid reader and always up for a new challenge.
At a young age, Nyla demonstrated an appetite for the performing arts. She loved acting and being the comic relief in theatrical plays. She was a member of the Standing Ovation Performing Arts studio, where she performed several comedic roles in plays including Guys and Dolls and Shrek, which made us all laugh. At the age of seven, she began her musical journey with the violin, later transitioning to wind instruments in middle and high school. She was an award-winning alto and baritone saxophonist selected as an All-County top musician. In high school, Nyla was a member of the marching band, later deciding to explore sports. She joined the high school track and field team, competing in shot put, javelin and discus. She was also a committed captain of the girls’ weightlifting team and often could be found flexing flashes of her newly discovered muscles. Crocheting was a passion Nyla developed during the Covid pandemic alongside her grandmother, and together they crocheted hats for patients undergoing cancer treatment. She had a big heart for rescue dogs and was a volunteer for Big Dog Ranch Rescue. Nyla was a member of Journey Church where she was baptized and later joined Christ Fellowship after moving to Palm Beach Gardens.
Nyla was awarded Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) and Bright Futures scholarships to the University of Florida, where her passion for animals led her to select Animal Science as her academic major. Nyla absolutely loved UF and spending time there with her brother and newfound friends. If you visited Nyla in Gainesville, regardless of how hot it was, she would be sure to walk you through every inch of campus, making a special effort to show you where the ROTC unit trained, where she worked out and where her friends resided. Nyla was a committed member of the Fightin’ Gator Battalion, and she enjoyed learning about and being around animals, passionately cheering on the UF football and basketball teams, and meeting new people.
Nyla was so much fun to be around. She loved the animated movie Monsters University and was hoping college would be just like that. She loved going to the beach with her sister and friends, weightlifting, thrifting, riding horses and trying new hairstyles, and she had recently mastered the art of making southern mac and cheese for Thanksgiving.
Anyone who had the privilege of knowing Nyla will remember her love, vibrant energy, unwavering strength, witty sarcasm and infectious smile. Nyla was preceded in glory by her grandmothers Carole Davis, Wanda Avery and Ana Viera, and uncle Derrick Avery, Sr. Nyla leaves behind cherished memories that will forever remain etched in the hearts of her parents Jaime and Rebekah; siblings Jaime Jr. (Angelie Pena) and Moriah Holland; grandfathers Juan Augustin Santiago and Joseph Avery Sr., ); great Aunt Gladys Viera (Leon Rodriguez del Rey, aunt Angela Byrd (James Byrd); uncles Juan Santiago and Joseph Avery Jr.; cousins Ariana Santiago (Brendan Townsend), Karina Santiago, Lauren Byrd, Raven Byrd, Leon Rodriguez Jr. and Derrick Avery Jr. and her many friends.
Nyla's legacy will endure through her profound impact on the lives of her family and all those fortunate enough to have crossed her path. Nyla will be forever loved!
Please consider making a donation in Nyla’s memory to support Big Dog Ranch Rescue. Your contribution will help honor her love for animals and one of her favorite organizations: https://www.bdrr.org/in-memory
Nyla Lynn Holland, 20, of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., passed away on Sunday, March 2, 2025, while attending the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Nyla was born on Sept. 14, 2004, in West Palm Beach, Fla., to her loving parents, Jaime and Rebekah. Family was of utmost importance to Nyla. She loved her siblings Jaime and Moriah immensely. She greatly enjoyed spending time with her grandparents and cousins, Ariana and Karina, in Florida and visiting her family in Virginia. Nyla was raised in Lake Worth, Fla., and educated within the Palm Beach County School District, where she attended Poinciana Elementary, Don Estridge High Tech Middle, and Atlantic and Park Vista High schools. Nyla was academically gifted, an avid reader and always up for a new challenge.
At a young age, Nyla demonstrated an appetite for the performing arts. She loved acting and being the comic relief in theatrical plays. She was a member of the Standing Ovation Performing Arts studio, where she performed several comedic roles in plays including Guys and Dolls and Shrek, which made us all laugh. At the age of seven, she began her musical journey with the violin, later transitioning to wind instruments in middle and high school. She was an award-winning alto and baritone saxophonist selected as an All-County top musician. In high school, Nyla was a member of the marching band, later deciding to explore sports. She joined the high school track and field team, competing in shot put, javelin and discus. She was also a committed captain of the girls’ weightlifting team and often could be found flexing flashes of her newly discovered muscles. Crocheting was a passion Nyla developed during the Covid pandemic alongside her grandmother, and together they crocheted hats for patients undergoing cancer treatment. She had a big heart for rescue dogs and was a volunteer for Big Dog Ranch Rescue. Nyla was a member of Journey Church where she was baptized and later joined Christ Fellowship after moving to Palm Beach Gardens.
Nyla was awarded Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) and Bright Futures scholarships to the University of Florida, where her passion for animals led her to select Animal Science as her academic major. Nyla absolutely loved UF and spending time there with her brother and newfound friends. If you visited Nyla in Gainesville, regardless of how hot it was, she would be sure to walk you through every inch of campus, making a special effort to show you where the ROTC unit trained, where she worked out and where her friends resided. Nyla was a committed member of the Fightin’ Gator Battalion, and she enjoyed learning about and being around animals, passionately cheering on the UF football and basketball teams, and meeting new people.
Nyla was so much fun to be around. She loved the animated movie Monsters University and was hoping college would be just like that. She loved going to the beach with her sister and friends, weightlifting, thrifting, riding horses and trying new hairstyles, and she had recently mastered the art of making southern mac and cheese for Thanksgiving.
Anyone who had the privilege of knowing Nyla will remember her love, vibrant energy, unwavering strength, witty sarcasm and infectious smile. Nyla was preceded in glory by her grandmothers Carole Davis, Wanda Avery and Ana Viera, and uncle Derrick Avery, Sr. Nyla leaves behind cherished memories that will forever remain etched in the hearts of her parents Jaime and Rebekah; siblings Jaime Jr. (Angelie Pena) and Moriah Holland; grandfathers Juan Augustin Santiago and Joseph Avery Sr., ); great Aunt Gladys Viera (Leon Rodriguez del Rey, aunt Angela Byrd (James Byrd); uncles Juan Santiago and Joseph Avery Jr.; cousins Ariana Santiago (Brendan Townsend), Karina Santiago, Lauren Byrd, Raven Byrd, Leon Rodriguez Jr. and Derrick Avery Jr. and her many friends.
Nyla's legacy will endure through her profound impact on the lives of her family and all those fortunate enough to have crossed her path. Nyla will be forever loved!
Please consider making a donation in Nyla’s memory to support Big Dog Ranch Rescue. Your contribution will help honor her love for animals and one of her favorite organizations: https://www.bdrr.org/in-memory
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