Dennis C. Flaherty

Dennis Charles Flaherty unexpectedly moved on from this world on September 24, 2018. He was 48 years old. Dennis was the loving husband of Ann Lassotovitch Flaherty; and the proud father of Charles Flaherty, age 17, and William Flaherty, age 14, of Dorado, Puerto Rico. Dennis was the youngest son of Ann H. Flaherty and the late Arthur F. Flaherty, formerly of Scituate, Mass. He joins his beloved sister, Nancy Gustin (Charles) in eternal life and leaves behind his sister and best friend, Heather A. Flaherty of Ogden, Iowa;, and his brothers, Mark Flaherty (Lauren) of Norwell, Mass., Shawn Flaherty (Corinne) of Boston, Brian Flaherty (Kellianne) of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Timothy Flaherty (Karen) of Westport, and Michael Flaherty of Dorado, PR. Dennis was a generous and loving person who wanted nothing more than for everyone around him to be happy and to have fun, even if that meant surprising everyone with some type of "shenanigans". His laugh was infectious and he was a gracious host and the life of the party. Dennis always put others first and everyone was important to him. There are many who have literally and figuratively received the shirt off his back. Dennis was a dreamer who was not afraid to think big and take on the challenge of making those dreams come true. He was a successful entrepreneur whose only enjoyment came from sharing his success with everyone around him. A turning point in his life came in 2008, when his youngest son William was diagnosed with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare and often fatal disease. The experience pushed him to live life to the fullest, to carpe diem every day, and to encourage others to do the same. This also was a catalyst to increase his generosity. He vowed to spend the rest of his life donating to scientific research so that other children could be saved from HLH. He was a co-founder of the Cincinnati Childrens Hospital HLH Center of Excellence. His crusade saved many childrens lives by spreading awareness of HLH among the medical community. Dennis' generous philanthropy raised money for not only the Cincinnati Childrens Hospital HLH Center of Excellence, but also the Matthew and Andrew Akin Foundation, Make A Wish of Ohio, and various other causes. In 2013, pushing convention aside, Dennis put corporate life on hold and embarked upon an 80-day expedition around the globe to show his family the world and create priceless experiences and memories that they will never forget. One of the highlights of his life was being able to watch his oldest son Charles compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. One has never seen a prouder father. Dennis was forever devoted to his wife and kids, was the backbone of the family, and the light of their world. He was also a loving and devoted son and brother and a fiercely loyal friend. Dennis was a graduate of Northeastern University and held a master's degree in Public and International Affairs from University of Pittsburgh. He was the CEO of Great Bay Global in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 6, 2018, at Saint Mary of the Nativity Church in Scituate, Mass. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Dennis' memory to Cincinnati Childrens Hospital HLH Center of Excellence, the Matthew and Andrew Akin Foundation, or Make A Wish of Ohio.