Heavy Surf Claims the Life of Bajan Pro in Barbados Zander Venezia, 16, dies after a treacherous session on Barbados' east coast By Matt Pruett 
 
 Published: September 5, 2017 
 
 September 5, 2017 Views: 412,552 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Heavy Surf Claims the Life of Bajan Pro in Barbados Zander Venezia, 16, dies after a treacherous session on Barbados' east coast. 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Related R.I.P. Zander Venezia, one of Barbados' most talented junior pros, who passed away today. He was 16 years old. Photo: Courtesy Facebook 
 
 Always comfortable in the bowels of Soup Bowl, Zander's last session actually happened a bit further north, at a treacherously shallow reefbreak known as "Box by Box." He will be dearly missed. Photo: Mark Harris 
 
 
 
 We are shocked and saddened to report that Zander Venezia, 
 
 
 
 "Horrible news," original Bajan pro-turned-surf instructor Alan Burke told Surfline. "I feel empty, we are in shambles over here. I wasn't there [at the spot], but my wife has been with the Venezia family at the hospital." 
 
 
 
 "I'm told that Zander get overturned by a closeout set, where he likely hit bottom," Alan managed between tears. "Nathan Florence got to him first, then shouted for the other guys and started to perform CPR. Zander was bleeding, and he wasn't moving. They tried to get him to the beach quickly, which was difficult. 'Box by Box' is a tough place to get in and out of, even if you have the ability. There's lots of big rocks around, and some stick out of the water." 
 
 
 
 "When they finally did get him in, they performed CPR on the beach," Alan continued. "The ambulance came really swiftly from Speightstown, and the whole drive Nathan Florence, Dylan Graves and the paramedics continued to try and revive him. But once they got him to the hospital, Zander was breathing, but not responsive. From the time Nathan got to him in the water to when they arrived at the hospital, it was about 75 minutes of nonstop CPR." 
 
 
 
 "He was one of my sons' [Josh and Jacob Burke] best friends, and like a son to me," Alan continued. "We just traveled the whole East Coast together, surfing that last Outer Banks swell together. Zander was such a good, funny kid. He was always joking, and he just loved surfing. He was so jovial, such a joy to be around. I just can't believe he's gone. I'm a mess, man. We're all a mess over here." 
 
 
 
 If there's any consolation to be found in this tragedy, it is in Zander's last words, spoken to Dylan Graves just before that fateful closeout set took his life. 
 
 
 
 "He told Dylan, 'I just got the best wave of my life!'" Alan finished. "Dylan was the last person to speak to Zander. Then that next closeout set came through." 
 
 
 
 Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of this very talented, very likable Bajan surfer. Stay tuned to Surfline as more details become available. 
 
 
 
 UPDATE: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH, 4PM EST: 
 
 
 
 Alan Burke just revealed the following information regarding Zander's death: "Autopsy came back. He was knocked unconscious and drowned. No fractures." 
 
 a budding young pro surfer from Bridgetown, Barbados, died today after surfing a particularly heavy session at a notoriously nasty wave on Barbados' east coast. While the family waits for an official autopsy, it is believed that Zander possibly broke his neck upon hitting the shallow reef.After getting his fair share of big barrels all morning, the 16-year-old got caught by a closeout set, which drove him into the shallow, rocky bottom. Bleeding and unresponsive, he was pulled out of the water by Nathan Florence, who was among a cadre of pros who flew over to Barbados to catch the mega-swell currently being generated by Hurricane Irma. ||||| A High Surf Advisory and Small-Craft Warning are in effect for Barbados from 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 5 to Wednesday September 6, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. 
 
 In a 3 p.m. bulletin, the Barbados Meteorological Services (BMS) said this is due to the effects of Hurricane Irma. 
 
 Irma is a large Category 5 hurricane packing winds of 185 mph (295km/h) which was centered near 16. 9N 59.1W or about 200 miles to the north of Barbados at 2:00 p.m. today. 
 
 This system has been generating large westerly to south-westerly swells which are propagating in an easterly direction. 
 
 Swells of 3.5 to 4.0 metres (11 to 13 ft) are forecasted to affect the coastal waters around Barbados, particularly on the western, south-western and north-western sides of the island tonight and into tomorrow. This activity, though short-lived, may become even more adverse at times of high tide. 
 
 Large battering waves and dangerous rip-currents can be expected and will create unsafe conditions for small craft operators. Sea-bathers and other users of the sea are also strongly advised to stay well away from the water. 
 
 A Small-Craft Warning means in this case that seas equal to or greater than 3m (10ft) and mean wind-speeds of 25 to 33 knots (28 to 60 mph) will affect the marine area. A High-Surf Advisory is issued when breaking wave action poses a threat to life and property within the surf zone. 
 
 This Advisory and Warning will be in effect until 6:00 p.m on Wednesday September 6, 2017. ||||| Young surfer Zander Venezia (left) with his surfing dad, Louis, in happier times. (GP) 
 
 ON A DAY when most Barbadians avoided the beach because of the high surf caused by Category 5 Hurricane Irma, pro junior surfer Zander Venezia took to the waves to do what he loved most. 
 
 But he died after being knocked off his board onto the reef at Cattlewash, St Joseph. Surfers who were there tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate him while he was in the water and on the beach. He was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) by ambulance. 
 
 According to online surf magazine Surfline, Zander’s last words, before that monster set drove him under, were: “I just got the best wave of my life.” 
 
 Zander was 16 and the son of Lisa and champion navigator and surfer Louis Venezia. He has one sister, Bella. He was one of the island’s most promising junior surfers and won the prestigious Rip Curl Gromsearch qualifying event in Outer Bank, North Carolina, a few weeks ago. (HLE/CA) 
 
 Please read the full story in today's Midweek Nation, or in the eNATION edition.
– A young professional surfer is dead after venturing into waves generated by Hurricane Irma. Zander Venezia, 16, was surfing on the east coast of Barbados on Tuesday when he ran into trouble with a closeout set—a wave that breaks all at once so that a surfer doesn't have a clear line through it. The wave sent Venezia barreling into the "shallow, rocky bottom" of Cattlewash Beach, where he was afterward found "bleeding and unresponsive," report Surfline and Nation News. Fellow surfers got Venezia to shore and performed CPR, but although the teen was reportedly breathing when he arrived at a hospital, he didn't recover. Initial reports suggested he broke his neck, though Surfline notes an autopsy revealed he drowned. A Barbados native, Venezia was among several pro surfers who ventured out in search of giant waves resulting from Hurricane Irma. His last words were, "'I just got the best wave of my life!,'" per a surf instructor. "Then that next closeout set came through." Loop News reports a high surf advisory was in effect in Barbados on Tuesday, with swells expected to reach up to 13 feet. People were "strongly advised to stay well away from the water" because of the "large battering waves and dangerous rip-currents," the site noted. Venezia, who became a champion youth surfer in Barbados at age 11, was due to compete in the Rip Curl GromSearch National Championship in California next month after winning a qualifying event in August, reports Surfer.