‘Heartbroken’: Tributes for 18-year-old drowning victim Riahne Vasquez
An 18-year-old, who drowned at Soldier’s Beach on the NSW Central Coast, has been remembered for his warmth and love of basketball.
Heartbroken family and friends have paid tribute to a talented basketball player who tragically drowned in the surf on the NSW Central Coast.
Riahne Louie Vasquez, 18, was swimming with friends at Soldiers Beach when they were swept off a sandbar on Sunday evening.
Two of his friends made it back to shore and another 18-year-old man was rescued by surfers during the incident.
Mr Vasquez’s family and friends waited on the shore all night until searchers pulled his body from the water on Monday.
He has been remembered as a talented athlete, who was a deeply loved member of The Central Coast Waves Basketball community.
Romeo Vasquez paid tribute to the vibrant and kind-hearted young man, whose passion for basketball and respect for his teammates left an unforgettable mark on everyone who knew him.
“Riahne’s legacy — his work ethic, warmth and love for basketball — will live on in the hearts of his teammates, coaches and the wider Central Coast community,” he said.
The Central Coast Waves Basketball association issued a statement saying Mr Vasquez was a remarkable young man who was respected by his peers, admired by coaches and cherished by everyone.
“His loss leaves a profound hole in our club and in the hearts of all who played alongside him,” the statement read.
“Riahne will forever remain part of the Waves family.”
