The household of the most recent Large Apple drowning sufferer was left shocked by what they mentioned was a mindless, unintentional loss of life that ought to have been prevented.
Military veteran Moises Rodriguez, 30, spent Sunday night time on Rockaway Seaside speaking to friends on the telephone earlier than he ventured over to a rocky space, the place a wave “got here and pushed him off,” throwing him into the water, his cousin Catherine Nunez advised The Submit.
Rodriguez’s lifeless physique was later discovered floating within the water by bystanders round 12:30 a.m., in line with cops.
His household mentioned he ought to have by no means been in a position to get to the world the place he drowned through the seashore’s off hourse.
“We really feel like if it was closed off and folks couldn’t get to it, it may have helped him or anybody else that may occur to as a result of it’s one thing folks can entry instantly from the seashore and it’s harmful,” Nunez added.
However “on the finish of the day, we perceive if folks break the foundations, they select to interrupt the foundations.”
“Having extra folks there would have been useful, it may have been prevented,” Nunez mentioned.
Nunez remembered Rodriguez as a doting dad to a 4-year-old daughter who lives out of state together with her mom.
“He beloved his household, he beloved his daughter. He was at all times keen to assist and he will probably be missed eternally,” she mentioned.
Rodriguez is the sixth individual to drown on a metropolis seashore this summer season — surpassing final 12 months’s 4 complete drownings.
Regardless of rising calls from elected officers to increase lifeguard hours, improve staffing and different security initiatives, the Adams’ administration has but to comply with swimsuit.
Lifeguards at metropolis seashores are on responsibility from 10 a.m. to six p.m.
“We’re solely, technically, initially of the summer season…and sadly, we will probably be right here once more [if action isn’t taken],” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards advised The Submit earlier this week.
“There’s much more work that the town must do.”
A spokesperson from Metropolis Corridor mentioned officers are “heartbroken over this tragic incident.”
“Because the mayor has made clear, we’ll proceed to coach all New Yorkers in regards to the significance of solely swimming at seashores and at swimming pools when lifeguards are on responsibility,” the spokesperson mentioned.
“Whereas we now have been in a position to rent extra lifeguards than final 12 months and have seen main success in utilizing drones to observe security situations on our seashores this season, we remind all New Yorkers to keep away from swimming throughout off-hours to guard their security and wellbeing.”
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