Photo: Justin Gore // GoFundMe
Jorge Alvarado, who was on life support after suffering a serious injury while surfing in Daytona Beach, Florida, has passed away. Alvarado was 49 years old.
Around 9 a.m. on September 13, Alvarado struck a sandbar and then became tangled with a piling under the Sunglow pier in Daytona Beach, as the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported. According to Tamra Malphurs, director of Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue, a witness saw him “strike a piling with his head before going under in an unguarded area.” She went on to explain that it “sounds like the lateral current pushed him into the pier after he hit his head.”
Fellow surfers soon came to Alvarado’s rescue, but it took several minutes to free him from the pier. Afterwards, life-saving measures were performed and he was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was put on life support.
On Wednesday, Justin Gore posted an update on a GoFundMe page dedicated to raising funds for Alvarado and his family. “It is with a heavy heart that Jorge has passed away,” he wrote. “Jorge, rest in paradise brother… Your spirit was as vibrant as the ocean waves you loved to ride. You brought joy and adventure to everyone around you.”
“You were always there to lift others up, encouraging everyone to push their limits and embrace life fully,” he added. “Your passion for surfing was matched only by your love for your friends and family. Though you’re no longer with us, your passion for surfing and your infectious laughter will forever echo in our hearts.”
As of writing, the GoFundMe page has raised over $16,000 to help support Alvarado’s family.
