An accident off-shore in Cape May, New Jersey last summer took the life of a teenage lifeguard. Cape May honored him for his service Friday by renaming a beach in his memory.
Norman Inferrera III died after a rowing accident off the Reading Avenue beach on Thursday, August 19, 2021. He was just 16 years old.
Officials said that Inferrera was rowing a lifeguard boat that was broadsided by a wave and flipped over, causing him to be knocked unconscious.
He was patrolling the choppy waters to try to keep swimmers close to shore.
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Fellow lifeguards responded immediately, and he was flown to Cooper University Medical Center in Camden, where he later died, officials said.
Norman “had a permanent smile on his face and was living out his dream to be a lifeguard," Beach Patrol Chief Harry Back said after the incident last August.
Beach patrol members family and friends gathered at what once was Reading Avenue beach to honor Inferrera, of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, with a ceremony renaming the very beach the tragic incident took place.
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The ceremony was held Friday at the newly-named Inferrera Memorial Beach.
A plaque in memory of the young lifeguard was presented to his family during the ceremony according to Regional Media News.
