The Long Beach Island community is grieving the heartbreaking loss of David Maldonado‑Ocelotl, a beloved son, brother, cousin, and friend whose kindness and joyful spirit touched everyone who knew him.
David, who was spending the afternoon swimming with friends in Ship Bottom, was caught in a dangerous rip current that pulled him away from shore. Emergency responders and local surfers rushed into the water in a desperate effort to save him. Despite their tireless attempts and the immediate medical care that followed, David later passed away at the hospital.