MIAMI (WSVN) - Family and friends held a memorial for the young man who lost his life while saving a mother and son from drowning in Virginia Key.
The life of 17-year-old Cristian Burgos was celebrated as those close to him gathered in Miami in his memory, Wednesday night.
“I’m really proud of him. It’s just at the moment, it’s really hard to feel that way,” said Claudia Escobar, Burgos’ cousin. “You know, because at the end of the day, we lost somebody.”
His grandmother said in Spanish that he always had a willingness to save lives.
On Monday, he risked his life to save a mother and her 9-year-old son at Historic Virginia Key Beach Park.
“I’m really numb right now. It’s really hard to describe how I feel,” said Escobar. “As you can see, we’re all not in a really good place.”
But Cristian needed help himself. Strangers immediately jumped into the ocean to pull Cristian to the shore. Tragically, he did not survive.
“As a teacher, to lose a student, and then to see the reaction of all the other students, too, it’s been devastating,” said Veronique Toussaint, a teacher at Booker T. Washington High School.
Cristian was a senior at Booker T. Washington High School.
Teachers referred to Burgos as an exceptional young man and a special spirit who was a role model for freshmen. He helped translate when friends needed it and trained younger soccer players.
“He is going to leave a legacy to his peers to follow in his footsteps to just be there whenever there is a need,” said Dr. Nelson Fernandez, a Booker T. Washington High School teacher.
Family, friends and classmates said no one will ever forget the selfless act Burgos made to help two people he did not know.
“He is a hero,” Escobar said.
The family of Burgos has set up a GoFundMe account to assist in paying for different expenses.
Burgos’ wake is expected to be held on Sunday.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.