Teenage Pro Surfer Zander Venezia Dies in Tragic Wave Incident During Hurricane Irma

Details on the devastating loss of the budding athlete

By Jess Cohen Sep 07, 2017 6:53 PMTags

A 16-year-old has died in Barbados while surfing big swells caused by Hurricane Irma.

Pro surfer Zander Venezia died on Tuesday on Barbados' east coast, Surfline reports. It is believed that Venezia, who was from Bridgetown, Barbados, hit the shallow reef after getting caught up in a harsh wave. Hurricane Irma has created major swells in the Caribbean and Venezia was one of many pro surfers in Barbados catching waves on Tuesday. 

Alan Burke, a surf instructor who was previously a pro surfer himself, told the site, "Autopsy came back. He was knocked unconscious and drowned. No fractures."

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Burke also said that pro surfer Nathan Florence got to Venezia first, called to others for help and performed CPR on Venezia.

"Zander was bleeding, and he wasn't moving. They tried to get him to the beach quickly, which was difficult," Burke explained. "'Box by Box' is a tough place to get in and out of, even if you have the ability. There's lots of big rocks around, and some stick out of the water."

Once they got the teen to the beach, they performed CPR and the ambulance arrived. However, once he got to the hospital Venezia was breathing, but he was not responsive.

@zandervenezia By all accounts you were as good a friend as you were a surfer...thank you for the impact you had on those around you for a life lived with joy and purpose. And thank you for taking this photo with me when you were 5. I will cherish it always. @louis_venezia sorry doesn't cover it. Words cannot suffice for your family and the loss of a son. The grief felt by so many is felt around this surfing work of ours. Much love to my #BarbadosFamily. #GoneTooSoon #ZanderVenezia •For those who don't know, Zander passed away while surfing today after catching what he said was the best wave of his life. He was knocked unconscious when he hit his head on the reef, possibly braking his neck and taking a long hold down for a number of waves. Friends and fellow surfers aided in a rescue attempt but his injuries were greater than could be addressed making him the first victim, by default, of #HurricaneIrma.

A post shared by Kelly Slater (@kellyslater) on

Pro surfer Kelly Slater posted a tribute to Venezia on Instagram, showing the duo together when Venezia was young.

"@zandervenezia By all accounts you were as good a friend as you were a surfer...thank you for the impact you had on those around you for a life lived with joy and purpose. And thank you for taking this photo with me when you were 5. I will cherish it always," he wrote.

Venezia's last Instagram post was on Sept. 1, showing a picture of him surfing. 

"Had a blast in OBX for the QS and was amazing to score such perfect waves with only 3 other people out," he wrote.

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