Merced man falls to his death on San Francisco cliffs

A Merced man who fell to his death over the weekend in San Francisco is being remembered for his good-natured spirit and infectious smile, according to his employer.

Vincent Holland, 28, died Saturday while climbing near Point Lobos, in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, according to the Marin County Coroner’s Office.

Holland and a friend were “quasi rock climbing” on the Land’s End shore north of the Sutro Baths on Saturday before 5 p.m., said Nathan Sargeant, a public affairs specialist for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Holland was using his upper-body strength when he lost his grip and fell 20 feet into the ocean.

Beach patrol rangers quickly responded and were able to get Holland on to a back board and put him on a Coast Guard boat. Holland later was pronounced dead.

Sargeant said Holland and his friend were climbing on a social trail – not an official trail – that overlooked the water. “The ocean is beautiful but dangerous,” Sargeant said. “Social trails appear to be an invitation to the rocks, but people should enjoy the view from afar.”

A Facebook page belonging to Holland said he graduated from Buhach Colony High School in 2006.

His boss, Jerry Sterner, owner of Sintex Security Services Inc. and the newly opened gun shop, Called2Arms in Modesto, called him a “great kid.”

“Every person he dealt with was treated with respect,” Sterner said in a phone interview Monday. “All freakin’ day long he smiled. When you’d catch him doing something wrong or screwing around, he’d just stand there with a big grin on his face. I can still see his smile.”

Holland began working for Sterner in December when Called2Arms opened, but Sterner, also a Merced resident, knew him long before.

On the Called2Arms Facebook page, Sterner described Holland an “amazing soul” who could “melt even the coldest heart.” The post drew nearly 100 responses from people expressing their condolences, many of them also remembering Holland’s upbeat nature.

The business is selling limited edition T-shirts for $20 each to raise money for funeral expenses for Holland.

To buy a T-shirt, visit Called2Arms at 501 Bangs Ave. in Modesto, or call 209-522-4867 and ask to order one for pick up at Sintex in Merced, located on 650 W. 20th St. in Merced.

This story was originally published August 1, 2016 at 2:46 PM with the headline "Merced man falls to his death on San Francisco cliffs."