A 20-year-old art student from Michigan tragically lost his life while vacationing in Mexico, as he attempted to save a friend from a deadly riptide off the coast of Cancun on Easter Sunday. Alejandro Gonzalez was swimming with a group of friends when he was swept out to sea by a powerful current around 7:30 p.m., according to his grieving mother.
Renee Gonzalez expressed her sorrow on social media, stating that while they had hoped for a miracle, they were at least able to bring their son home. She shared a photo of Alejandro taken on the beach the night of the incident, noting his joy at being with friends and exploring a new place.
Alejandro, a native of Saginaw, Michigan, had traveled to the popular Caribbean destination with three high school friends. On the fateful night, he had posed for a photo at the water’s edge, a picture that his mother later shared, showing the young artist smiling and giving a thumbs-up while standing in the tropical water.
The tragedy unfolded when one of Alejandro’s friends was caught in a riptide. The young artist managed to save her but was unfortunately lost in the process. A GoFundMe page was set up to support his family, explaining the circumstances of his heroic act.
After a three-day search, officials recovered Alejandro’s body on Wednesday. The young man had graduated from the Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy in 2022 and was studying at the College of Creative Studies in Detroit. He was also working as a barista at a local cafe.
Heather Shephard, the creator of the GoFundMe page, described Alejandro as a talented artist and a wonderful friend who was always ready for a new project. She praised his intelligence, high grades, and high performance in everything he did.
Following his graduation, Alejandro had contributed his artistic talents to his community’s “Great Mural Project” in 2023, painting a cat-themed utility box mural in the City of Saginaw. A makeshift memorial was set up under the mural to honor the artist, and a donation drive was organized for the local animal shelter in his name.
The GoFundMe page, initially created to assist in the search for Alejandro, is now being used to collect donations to cover the costs of transporting his body back to his family in Michigan.