La Jolla Man Passes Away After Surfing

Justin Cote

• July 01 2009
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Our condolences to friends and family of William Joseph Ryan who passed away after what officials are calling either a stroke or heart attack while surfing Tourmaline in La Jolla, CA.

As reported on www.lajollalight.com/news

Friends and family Tuesday were mourning a 50-year-old La Jolla man who became ill while surfing and died a short time later at the hospital.

William Joseph Ryan was surfing late Tuesday afternoon at Tourmaline Surfing Park in Pacific Beach when he suddenly slumped over on his board and slipped into the water, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office.

He attempted to get back on his board and told fellow surfers he was having trouble breathing, the Medical Examiner’s Office reported.

San Diego Lifeguards helped bring the man to shore, where they performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and used a defibrillator until paramedics arrived and took Ryan to the hospital, lifeguard Lt. Andy Lerum told The San Diego Union-Tribune.

He died at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla at 6:15 p.m., according to the Medical Examiner’s Office.