An Army veteran — identified as Moises Rodriguez — is dead at the young age of 30 after drowning off of New York’s Rockaway Beach.
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According to authorities, they received an emergency call after midnight on Monday, July 22.
“Upon arrival, officers observed an unconscious and unresponsive male in his 30’s floating in the water,” the New York City Police Department (NYPD) said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. Moises was pronounced dead at St. John’s Hospital.
Moises’s mom, Mildred Rodriguez, spoke with the New York Daily News about the tragic loss of her son.
“I’m really, really in shock,” Mildred said. “I just saw a picture of him on Sunday. He was having a nice time [on] the beach!”
30-Year-Old Army Veteran Dead After Drowning Off New York Beach
Catherine Nunez, Moises’s cousin, spoke with the New York Post about the incident. She reported that Moises was in a rocky area when a wave “came and pushed him off.”
As mentioned earlier, this occurred during off-hours — after midnight — so no lifeguards were on duty.
“We feel like if it was closed off and people couldn’t get to it, it could have helped him or anyone else that might happen to because it’s something people can access directly from the beach and it’s dangerous,” Nunez said.
However, “at the end of the day, we understand if people break the rules, they choose to break the rules,” Nunzez said.
Moises was the father of a four-year-old girl who lives with her mother in Alabama. His family set up a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral costs and provide support to his family.
“With heavy hearts, we share the loss of Moises Rodriguez, a devoted father and cherished member of our community,” the page read. “Moises leaves behind his beloved 4-year-old daughter, who was the heart of his life. Though he served our country, his greatest pride was in being a loving and dedicated father.”
“Every donation, no matter the size, will help ensure his daughter is well cared for,” the GoFundMe concluded.