RIP Jay LaPlante, Family Man and Bulldog Fan
Donation protected
Life is precious, and sometimes we are suddenly reminded of its fragility. In the early hours of Monday, March 21st, we lost a long-time member of our Manhattan Beach community. Jay LaPlante, 48, was on his way to work at Subaru Santa Monica when he was tragically killed on his motorcycle. Jay had recently taken on managing the Subaru Santa Monica location, in addition to managing Subaru Pacific in Hawthorne. Jay was driving northbound on Vista del Mar when a car made an unexpected left turn into him.
Jay was loved and respected by everyone he worked with within the LA Car Guy auto group. He managed the Toyota Santa Monica and Lexus Santa Monica stores, as well as the Subaru Pacific and Santa Monica locations. Jay had recently purchased his dream car, a used Porsche. He had planned to sell the motorcycle but was holding onto it for a few more months while he worked at the Subaru Santa Monica location due to LA traffic.
Jay was an Olympic sailor, cyclist, surfer and the best BBQ master in town! He lived in Manhattan Beach with his 8-year love and fiancé Jenelle Arnold, 36. Janelle describes Jay as "her rock." Jay texted her every morning when he arrived at work. Monday morning she was surprised not to hear from him, but didn't think much about it until three police officers arrived at her door.
Jay and Jenelle had both just celebrated their birthdays and were looking forward to welcoming their first child, a baby girl, this August. They were already experienced parents to two rescued bulldogs: Charlie Murphy and Mr. Pickles. Charlie Murphy is disabled and can’t support himself with his front legs. They adopted him in 2019 at six years old because no one else would take him, and Jay loved him like a child. You may have seen him cruising the Strand in his stroller, riding behind Jay’s bike, or enjoying the ocean views from a bench.
Jay was loved and respected by everyone he worked with within the LA Car Guy auto group. He managed the Toyota Santa Monica and Lexus Santa Monica stores, as well as the Subaru Pacific and Santa Monica locations. Jay had recently purchased his dream car, a used Porsche. He had planned to sell the motorcycle but was holding onto it for a few more months while he worked at the Subaru Santa Monica location due to LA traffic.
Jay was an Olympic sailor, cyclist, surfer and the best BBQ master in town! He lived in Manhattan Beach with his 8-year love and fiancé Jenelle Arnold, 36. Janelle describes Jay as "her rock." Jay texted her every morning when he arrived at work. Monday morning she was surprised not to hear from him, but didn't think much about it until three police officers arrived at her door.
Jay and Jenelle had both just celebrated their birthdays and were looking forward to welcoming their first child, a baby girl, this August. They were already experienced parents to two rescued bulldogs: Charlie Murphy and Mr. Pickles. Charlie Murphy is disabled and can’t support himself with his front legs. They adopted him in 2019 at six years old because no one else would take him, and Jay loved him like a child. You may have seen him cruising the Strand in his stroller, riding behind Jay’s bike, or enjoying the ocean views from a bench.
Jay was an avid gardener and he and Jenelle planted a garden of flowers and vegetables in their small side yard. The neighborhood kids were especially enthusiastic about following the growth of two pineapples Jay planted. Jay and Jenelle shared a very special love and were happy and looking forward to the next chapter of their lives together as parents.
Jay was loved by every person he met, and the world lost an incredibly amazing brother, uncle, son, fiancé and best friend on Monday. Jay would want us to keep telling stories about all of the crazy things he did, and to make sure his baby girl knows all of them one day (and that she is an Olympian of some sort!).
Our community is hoping to raise money for the new baby’s needs, including a college fund.
For additional pictures of Jay, Jenelle, Charlie Murphy and Mr. Pickles, please see Jay’s Facebook page which has been updated with Jenelle's photos telling the story of their love and life together: https://www.facebook.com/jay.laplante.14.
For additional pictures of Jay, Jenelle, Charlie Murphy and Mr. Pickles, please see Jay’s Facebook page which has been updated with Jenelle's photos telling the story of their love and life together: https://www.facebook.com/jay.laplante.14.
Organizer and beneficiary
Harriette Denaro
Organizer
Manhattan Beach, CA
Jenelle Arnold
Beneficiary
