Daniel Joseph Files

1989 - 2025

Daniel Joseph Files, 35, a world traveler who often made his home in both Myrtle Beach, SC and Los Angeles, CA, passed away on February 5, 2025, while skiing Mount Hakkai in Niigata, Japan. His family takes comfort in knowing Daniel was doing what he loved: immersing himself in the beauty of nature and pushing himself to new limits.

Daniel was born to Bill and Janet Files on August 5, 1989, in Conway, SC. Even as a child, Daniel was the family's "home entertainment system" -- his personality always brought unique humor to any family event. Daniel's love for the arts led him to attend the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts & Humanities in Greenville, SC, where he studied Drama and graduated in 2007. He went on to major in Film at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY, where he led a sketch comedy group and was known for making outlandish comedy videos.

After graduating in 2011, he pursued freelance video production and editing, a job that offered the flexibility to divide his time between visiting family and experiencing cultures of the world, including Japan, Mexico, Germany, India, and more. For twenty-one years, he also returned every summer to participate in the Meher Spiritual Center's "Youth Sahavas."

In his late twenties, he discovered a love for skiing, a passion he honed with the guidance of his uncle Bill Sloatman. Traveling the globe in search of the best "fresh powder" became a driving force in his life. In the words of the authorities in Japan, when they learned of his travels, hobbies, spiritual depth of understanding and close family bonds: "Daniel lived an ideal life."

Daniel will be greatly missed by his loving parents, and by his siblings and their families: William Files, Olga Klenova, and Lily Hamlet; Michael, Erin, and Giorgio Files; and Margaret Files and Brian Whitley. His cousins, aunts and uncles, as well as countless friends who were like family, join them in mourning his loss and celebrating his life.

Daniel's parents and siblings were honored to travel to Niigata to lay him to rest in a traditional Japanese cremation ceremony held on February 14, 2025. At a future date, a memorial will be held in Myrtle Beach for all who loved and knew Daniel. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Meher Spiritual Center (www.mehercenter.org/donate).