VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Last Thursday, one of Virginia Beach's own died while riding his paddleboard near 16th Street.
The family of the man has identified the victim as 63-year-old Glenn Ryder.
Brenton Ryder, Glenn's son, spoke with News 3 on how the last few days without his dad have been "very surreal."
“Easy-going, kind, very, very talkative — if you ended up talking with him, you were probably going to talk with him for at least 10 more minutes,” Brenton said.
Glenn was a lifelong resident of Virginia Beach and attended Princess Anne High School. He was a well-known realtor, but many recognized him for his presence in the ocean.
“Anyone who's gone down to the boardwalk in the morning would ask, ‘Who is that big dude on the paddle board out there?’ He had become like a Statue of Liberty in Virginia Beach in a sense,” Brenton said.
Brenton noted that his father loved being out on the water. When they surfed together, Glenn always watched for the best sets.
“My dad had been in a really good habit over the last month or so of getting up every morning. As long as the waves were clean, it didn’t matter how small they were; he was going paddleboarding,” Brenton said.
When Brenton was awoken by his father’s friend and noticed Glenn's bike was gone, he knew something was wrong.
“On a day like Thursday, when there's no waves, no current, it wasn’t a matter of drowning; it was a medical condition that happened while he was in the water,” he said.
Brenton said his father had been battling atrial fibrillation (AFib) but continued to surf because it was something he loved to do.
He expressed gratitude for the people who tried to assist his father in his final moments, particularly one woman.
“She was able to pray over his body as he was leaving the earth. To me, that's significant — he had a guide to send him somewhere when he got up on the beach,” Brenton said.
As the community continues to remember Glenn, Brenton finds solace in knowing his father is at peace.
“He probably wishes there were better waves, but aside from that, he was where he loved to be, doing what he loved. Anyone who knows my dad knows he would want you to celebrate his life,” Brenton said.
Brenton announced that his family plans to host a paddle out in memory of their father in September.
