Gone, but never to be forgotten

Maria Aguinaga, a Long Beach High School graduate, said that what she remembered most about Daniel Bobis, a beloved teacher and surfer, was his ever-present smile and his kindness.

“He was incredible,” Aguinaga said. “Every time I saw him in the hallways, he was always smiling. He told me to always do what I love. Daniel Bobis has touched the lives of many in this community.”

Nearly 1,000 relatives, friends and other residents attended a memorial and paddle-out in honor of Bobis last Sunday at Laurelton Boulevard beach, where he often surfed. More than 20 guest speakers, many of them Bobis’s close friends, recalled him through words, music and poetry. They described him as a kind, caring and selfless man who left an indelible mark on the community.

Bobis, 32, was reported missing on July 24 off the coast of southern Sumatra during a surfing trip with his wife, Rachel, and a friend, Brian Lonergan. They had been traveling since June. Several friends confirmed on July 28 that Bobis’s body had been found by fishermen. He was later cremated in Indonesia, and his ashes were brought back to Long Beach on Aug. 3.

His friends remembered him as a community leader, an environmental activist, a member of the popular hardcore band Cipher and a charismatic and dedicated teacher.

More than 100 surfers — Bobis’s widow among them — took to the water for the paddle-out, forming a circle in the ocean. Hundreds lined the shore, cheering and tossing flowers into the water in an emotion-filled

tribute.

Fernando Bobis, Daniel’s cousin, thanked the community for its outpouring of support. “This is tough,” he said, noting that though family members are struggling, the memories of his cousin have helped them cope. “If he had to be taken from us, I think this is how he would have wanted to be remembered.”

Many in the audience on the beach and boardwalk stood or sat in silence, some wiping away tears, others clinging to loved ones.

“There are no words and no tributes appropriate to eulogize my friend,” Maurice Mitchell told the crowd, “but tonight we’ll try.”

Billy Kupferman, a founding member of the Long Beach Surfer’s Association, said he sometimes called his friend “Brother Bobis,” and described him as “a leader and a doer.”