Alexandra de Moura was a star athlete at Garden City High School whose talents earned her a gymnastics scholarship to George Washington University.
But despite her athletic prowess, de Moura was unaware how to navigate a rip current while vacationing with friends in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in 2019. De Moura, who was in waist deep water, attempted to fight the rip current before she tired out and was swept away. Her body was recovered two days later.
In the nearly four years since her daughter’s death, Josephine de Moura has been on a mission to increase education about the dangerous currents that can carry people far out to the ocean, where they can drown.
On Wednesday, de Moura joined with Nassau officials as they unveiled new rip current warning signs dedicated to Alexandra at county-run Nickerson Beach in Lido Beach.
“If I can save one family from the devastation that my family and I are going through, then this is my mission,” de Moura said. “Knowledge is power. I want to educate everyone about … how to avoid a rip current. This is going to save many lives.”
The county is placing eight warning signs at the foot of Nickerson Beach advising swimmers how to break the grip of a rip current.
Similar signage is in place at Long Island State beaches, according to George Gorman Jr., regional director of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
The most important tip, officials said, is not to fight the current as even the best swimmers will tire out and potentially drown. Instead, experts suggest turning sideways parallel to the shore and to wade, swim or tread water until out of the rip current before moving back toward shore at an angle away from the rush of water. In addition, officials advise the public to never swim alone and always near a lifeguard.
“The natural instinct for someone is to try and fight your way out of it,” said Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, adding that the risk of rip…
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