NJ Dad Who Drowned Trying To Save Daughter Was NYC Firefighter

AVON-BY-THE-SEA, NJ — It was a New York City firefighter who drowned Friday morning while trying to save his teenage daughter from a rip current on the beach at Avon-by-the-Sea.

Mark Batista, 39, died, according to the FDNY, who identified him on Twitter over the weekend. Batista is from Teaneck, according to media reports.

"We are heartbroken to learn about the death of Firefighter Mark Batista, who died Friday while swimming at the Jersey Shore," wrote the FDNY on their official Twitter account. "FF Batista was a dedicated public servant who spent 15 years serving in the FDNY, as both an EMT and firefighter. We join his family in mourning."

As Patch previously reported, Batista drowned Friday morning. It was about 8 a.m. Friday and he was watching from the beach as his daughter, 15, was swimming at the beach at Avon-by-the-Sea. She suddenly became caught in a rip current near a jetty and was being pulled out to sea.

It was Batista's son on the beach who called 911 while Batista jumped into the water to save her, and ended up being pulled out to sea himself. It took rescuers more than an hour to find his body, and was pronounced dead later Friday morning at a hospital.

The girl was hospitalized but survived. There are no daily lifeguards on the beach this early in the summer season.

The ANSWER Team, which stands for Area Network Of Shore Water Emergency Responders (ANSWER) reported that at 8:38 a.m. Friday, they responded to Sylvania Ave Beach in Avon-by-the-Sea for two reported swimmers in distress.

"Upon arrival, a female juvenile was quickly rescued and later transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for evaluation while the search continued for a male adult," they wrote. "The search continued for over an hour as rescue swimmers, divers, Jet Skis, boats and a drone searched the area for the missing swimmer."

Batista was found just before 10 a.m. by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter.

He was treated on scene by EMS and also taken to Jersey Shore, but did not survive.

This GoFundMe page, which has been verified by GoFundMe, was created Sunday by fellow members of the FDNY:

"Still can’t believe any of this is real and we’re having trouble finding the words," the page reads. "Our brother Mark Batista, from Engine 226, passed away June 9, 2023 while saving his daughter from drowning. In one final act of love and heroism, he jumped in after his daughter, who was caught in a rip current. His son called 911 having witnessed what just happened and rescuers were able to save his daughter. She is alive and well. Tragically, Mark was found shortly after and had passed away."

"Mark always put his family first. In many conversations, he would describe how his loving wife, Lenin, brings him peace. How proud he is of his sons and how his princess (his daughter) was his world. He would visit his grandmother at a nursing home before and after every tour he worked and when he wasn’t responding to the various emergencies of New York City, he would be FaceTiming his daughter and speaking to members about fatherhood."

The ANSWER included rescue swimmers, divers, boats, jet skis, EMS, PD, and drone operators from Neptune Township, Neptune City, Avon and Bradley Beach, plus lifeguards from Belmar and Sea Girt, State Police and the Monmouth County Sheriff's office.

Original report: Father Drowns Trying To Save Daughter At Avon-By-The-Sea: Reports