See Steve Christensen’s photos of the paddle out here.
Local Venice surfers held a paddle out at the Venice Pier on Saturday the 26th in honor of 19-year-old Liam Alexander Taylor who died while surfing his local break at Moonstone Beach in Cambria on Friday, August 18.
“We lost one of our own, beloved sk8prk kid, surfer, and regular at the pier,” wrote Ray Rae of Venice Beach Photos in an email to Yo! Venice.
Caught in a close out wave Taylor suffered severe head and neck injuries according to The Tribune in San Louis Obispo. Although the waves Taylor was surfing were around 6-feet tall, Friends and family said they were shocked he’d come into strife as the experienced surfer and lifeguard had often tackled bigger waves.
Known as Red by locals, Taylor’s birth father lives in Venice, and the young surfer was attending Santa Monica College. Venice local Ray Rae described Taylor as a Great kid who was “always smiling, always respectful, gone too soon.”
Local photographer Steve Christensen was at the paddle out.
“There were many young kids there, and they were all very emotional, it was very sad, but everybody held together with the energy of the community they all live in together. Parents were consoling kids and kids to kids, vice-versa. From the energy I felt. Liam must’ve been a very outgoing, honest, creative and loving human being. You could tell through the eyes of everybody there.”
Mourners have tagged the pier with tributes to Taylor.
Local businesses Maui and Sons and Venice Bike and Skates are collecting donations to help Taylor’s family with funeral expenses and his family have set up a bereavement fund online at youcaring.com.
