Friends Gather for Paddle Out to Say Good-Bye to Tyler Culver

WESTHAMPTON, NY - Young people turned out in force Sunday for a "paddle out" to honor one of their own who died suddenly recently.

The event was organized by Sarah Culver and her father to honor her brother Tyler Culver, who passed away at 24.

"My dad and I decided the best way to honor my brother was to have a paddle out at Jetty 4," she wrote on Facebook. "Let's bring Tyler back to the one place he was happiest — the ocean!"

After the paddle out, young people gathered on the beach to remember their friend.

Austin Collins, who attended, shared his memories: "I've known Tyler for a good part of my life, starting from being teammates in Little League soccer when we were younger. Tyler always did the right thing in every situation and that's what I will remember most about him," he said.

Of the memorial, Collins said, "To gather all of his friends and loved ones for this ceremony and say one final good-bye through a traditional paddle out felt like what he would have wanted. Surfers or not, everyone grabbed a board and formed a circle out in the water, throwing sunflowers into the middle and the whole ceremony was truly beautiful."

After the gathering, Betsy Doyle wrote on Facebook that it was "one of the most moving and memorable events I have ever witnessed. What a special tribute to Tyler. The outpouring of love from friends and family was amazing."

Photo courtesy of Austin Collins.