DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla. — Volusia County surfers are coming together following a tragic accident involving one of their own.
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On Friday, Jorge Alvarado was surfing near the Sunglow Pier in Daytona Beach Shores when he fell off his board and hit his head on the sandbar.
He was then swept under the pier by the current where a few good Samaritans jumped in and rescued him.
He is now in the hospital with a fractured neck and is also on life support.
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Alvarado’s friends told Eyewitness News he is a staple in the local surfing community. They also said there have been large groups of people at the hospital to support him every day.
If you asked his longtime friends Todd Ayers or Pete Bishop to describe him, they can tell you a lot about who he is including a great father and person. But the most common theme we picked up on is simply the way he made people feel.
“I would not even know Jorge if he didn’t come to me and give me a hug first and say hey let’s go surf. Come out with me!” said Pete Bishop.
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“He loves everyone and for an accident like this to happen to someone like that and a freak accident, a surfing accident, it is just the most devastating thing,” said Todd Ayers.
They are all trying to stay positive by focusing on the future and they can already see his smile when they picture him paddling out for the first time.
Jorge’s friends said he has made some improvements like squeezing his son’s hand and reacting when the doctor touched his neck.
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In the meantime, they are praying for a miracle and asking the community to do the same.
Click here for a link to a GoFundMe if you want to support Jorge’s recovery and his family.
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