Long Beach community honors surfer Austin Gibbons with sunset paddle-out

Family and friends gathered for what was called the Austin Gibbons Sunset Memorial Paddle-Out at Washington Beach on Tuesday to remember Austin Finian Gibbons.

Gibbons, 26, a lifelong Long Beach resident and surfer, drowned on July 11 at Skudin Surf, which is also in Long Beach, after reportedly suffering a seizure in the water. Gibbons had survived a surfing accident in Hawaii last year in which he nearly drowned, after which he spent a week in a medically induced coma .

“You are missed but your spirit surfs on,” was written on the event flyer.

He was a surfing instructor at Skudin who helped hundreds of children develop a love of surfing and the ocean.

“Austin’s presence created an unforgettable mark on our camp and will be profoundly missed,” Skudin officials said previously in a statement.

Attendees joined together on the beach to recall Gibbons’ with displays of his passion for surfing that included photos and surfboards. Many paddled out into the ocean on surfboards as others watched and recorded the moment from the shoreline.

Local photographer Bob Arkow, who took many photos of Gibbons surfing, noted his passion for the ocean and teaching surfing.

“Austin loved the ocean and loved teaching the local kids to surf,” Arkow said previously. “He was kind, caring and had empathy for others. The kids adored him.”

Gibbons played lacrosse at Long Beach High School and for Nassau Community College.

“We are supporting each other as family, friends and a community,” Christine Gibbons posted on Facebook after her son died. “We only need your continued love and prayers. As a way to remember Austin please consider supporting two organizations that were always near and dear to his heart.”

Those two organizations are SurfForAll.org and the 343Fund.org.