A tragic incident unfolded off the south coast of Long Island yesterday when a man was found unresponsive in the cold waters near Gilgo Beach. The surfer, 54-year-old Jack Shapiro from Holbrook, was pulled ashore by a passerby around 2:15 p.m., as reported by News 12 Long Island. Despite the efforts of the Good Samaritan to save the man, Shapiro's life could not be sustained, and he was later pronounced dead at Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip.

While Shapiro was quickly attended to by authorities upon being brought to shore, the conditions under which he was surfing were notably harsh. Surface temperatures on Long Island hovered in the mid-30s that Sunday afternoon. The following day, the National Weather Service issued a small craft advisory for the waters surrounding Long Island, as reported by Newsday, highlighting the perilous nature of the maritime environment at that time, according to the NY Daily News.

As the community grapples with this somber event, the exact cause of Shapiro's death remains under investigation. The Suffolk County Police are delving into the case, looking to provide answers around the circumstances that led to this unfortunate demise. The Suffolk Medical Examiner's Office is expected to determine the precise cause of death, as News 12 Long Island noted, adding another layer to the investigation underway.

Gilgo Beach itself carries with it a backdrop steeped in darker tales, having been the site where the remains of multiple women were discovered over a span of two decades, the work of an apparent serial killer. The case took a turn in recent history, with a Massapequa Park resident, Rex Heuermann, being charged in July 2023 for several of the murders. As the trial looms, Heuermann remains incarcerated, a stark reminder of the beach's harrowing past referenced by NY Daily News.