Alejandro Gonzalez, Saginaw, Michigan artist’s body recovered after drowning saving his friend caught in riptide during Cancun, Mexico vacation.
The body of a Michigan art student has been recovered days after the man drowning during a ‘daring attempt’ to save his friend’s life after getting caught in a riptide off the coast of Cancun over Easter.
Alejandro Gonzalez, 20, was pulled out to sea by a strong current while swimming with a group of friends around 7:30 p.m. Sunday, his mother shared on social media.
‘We held out hope, and prayed for a miracle. While the outcome wasn’t what we wanted, God did answer our prayers,’ Renee Gonzalez wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. ‘Alejandro’s body has been found, (We) are going to be able to bring our baby home.’
Dream Caribbean getaway turns into tragedy
The Saginaw, Mich., native had traveled to the Caribbean getaway with three high school friends before the tragedy occurred, Click on Detroit reported.
Gonzalez’s drowning death came just hours after the art student had posed for a photo at the water’s edge, his mother shared.
‘The picture is from the evening he went into the water, the smile on his face reminds me how happy he was to be with his friends and spending time somewhere new. It’s good to know he was so happy,’ Renee Gonzalez added.
The photo shows the would be artist giving a thumbs up to the camera while standing in the tropical water.
Gonzalez was swimming when one of his friends got caught in a riptide and the artist saved her, but ‘was lost in the process,’ according to a GoFundMe set up for his family.
His body was recovered by officials on Wednesday after a three-day search.
Gonzalez graduated from the Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy (see below) in 2022 and had been working as a barista at a local cafe.
He was studying at the College of Creative Studies in Detroit, MLive.com reported.
Saginaw artist remembered and much beloved
‘Alejandro is a talented artist as well as a wonderful friend. He lights up a room and is always up to a new project,’ said Heather Shephard, the fundraiser’s creator.
‘He is caring and fiercely loyal to his friends and family and isn’t afraid to try new things. He is smart, has consistently high grades and high performance in everything he does.’
After graduation, Gonzalez lent his artistic skills to his community’s ‘Great Mural Project’ in 2023, decorating a cat-themed utility box mural in the City of Saginaw.
A makeshift memorial was set up under the mural to honor the artist along with a donation drive for the local animal shelter in his name.
The crowdsourcing project, initially set up to help in the search, is being used for donations that would fund transportation costs to bring Gonzalez home to his family.
‘While it looks like Matt and I won’t be going to Mexico, we are going to need help with the expense to bring him home, and all of the expenses that come with a situation like this,’ Renee Gonzalez said.
