Florida surfer Jorge Alvarado dies after smashing into pier in freak accident in Daytona Beach
A Florida surfer has tragically died after he smashed into a pier in Daytona Beach, Florida, on September 13.
Jorge Alvarado, 49, was surfing on the south side of the Sunglow Pier in Daytona Beach at 9am when the accident happened.
Alvarado may have struck a sandbar and then became tangled with a piling under the pier, the director of Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue Tamra Malphurs said.
A witness said they saw Alvarado go head first into the piling before going under.
It took surfers several minutes to free Alvarado which let rescuers perform life-saving measures before he was taken to the hospital and placed on life support.
Jorge Alvarado, 49, has died after striking a sandbar and becoming tangled with a piling under the pier on September 13. PICTURED: Jorge Alvarado surfing with his son Gabriel
A witness said they saw Alvarado go head first into the piling before going under. It took surfers several minutes to free Alvarado which let rescuers perform life-saving measures before he was taken to the hospital and placed on life support
But Alvarado's friend, Justin Gore, sadly announced on Wednesday that he had died.
He wrote: 'It is with a heavy heart that Jorge has passed away and has gone home to be with the Lord.
'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. 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.
'We'll carry your memory with us every time we get in the water, knowing you’re out there in the surf, riding the biggest wave of all watching over each and everyone of us. Rest easy Jorge Alvarado. We love you brother'.
His friend Justin Gore organized a GoFundMe campaign that's raised over $15,000
Malphurs told The Daytona Beach News-Journal that it's possible a current that pushed him into the pier after he hit his head.
The late surfer's daughter Emily Alvarado asked on her Facebook for 'prayers for my daddy.'
Emily did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com.
Gore has organized a GoFundMe campaign that's raised over $15,000 to 'take care if him and his family during this difficult time.'
Gore also posted a heartfelt thank you video on his Facebook once the campaign hit it's $10,000 mark. He said: 'It's going to be a long road to recovery.'
'You got this brother keep fighting.'
Maphurs said beach safety rarely sees seasoned surfers in accidents aside from if it involves a shark bite. She also said surfers aren't supposed to be within 150 feet from the pier but was unsure how close Alvarado was PICTURED: Jorge Alvarado (center), Dylan Alvarado (right) and Emily Alvarado (right)
There had been only one fatality in Daytona Beach's surf zone this year from a rip current, according to the National Weather Service.
Maphurs said beach safety rarely sees seasoned surfers in accidents aside from if it involves a shark bite. She also said surfers aren't supposed to be within 150 feet from the pier but was unsure how close Alvarado was.
This incident is only two months after a Pennsylvania couple on a vacation in Florida got caught in a rip current and drowned in front of their six children.
Brian Warter, 51, and his girlfriend Erica Wishart, 48, were at the beach behind the Marriott Hotel on Hutchinson Island, north of West Palm Beach, on July 18 when tragedy struck.
Two of the teens had also been caught up in the current but managed to get to the shore.
They tried to help their parents but could not get to them as they current had become too dangerous.
