Heartbreaking Memorial Growing for Teen Lifeguard Tragically Killed by Lightning at Jersey Shore
The community is coming together to remember 19-year old Keith Pinto who died after being struck by lightning on an Ocean County beach Monday.
A memorial for Pinto, a lifeguard in Seaside Park, is growing at 21st Ave. beach, as you can see from all of the flowers pictured by njdotcom on Instagram.
It was mid-afternoon Monday when a fast-moving storm rolled over the area and seven people, including Pinto, were hit by lightning strikes. Keith succumbed to his injuries. He was in his third summer of lifeguarding at Seaside Park, alongside his twin brother Kevin, NJ.com reports. A vigil for Keith Pinto is scheduled for 8 p.m. Tuesday night on White Sands Beach at 21st Ave. in Berkeley Twp., according to Seaside Park Station 45 Volunteer Fire Company.
Additionally, a GoFundMe established in Pinto's honor has already generated more than $30,000 in donations. The loss of Pinto, killed in the line of duty while helping beachgoers run for cover during the storm, was felt far beyond New Jersey, with lifeguards from Jones Beach, New York tweeting:
It breaks my heart to even have to write about this young man in the past tense. Keith Pinto's family, friends, and the entire Seaside Park community remain in our thoughts here at Townsquare Media.