17-Year-Old Sir Audley Sykes Dies at Rockaway Beach After Urging Lifeguards to Save His Friend

Sir Audley Sykes, 17, drowned at Rockaway Beach in Queens on the evening of Sunday, Aug. 9, after he and an 18-year-old friend were caught in a rip current, his family and local media report. Lifeguards who were off duty rushed into the water and pulled both teens from the surf; Sykes' friend survived, but Sykes did not.

According to Sykes' mother, Patrice Thompson, when rescuers reached the pair her son told them to save his friend first. "He would save someone else before he thought about himself and that's the thing I appreciated about him the most," Thompson told ABC 7 New York.

Sir Audley SykesCredit: GoFundMe

What Happened

The teens entered the water at about 7:30 p.m. and were caught in a rip current. Because it was after official swimming hours, lifeguards were not seated in their chairs but left their posts and entered the water after noticing the struggling swimmers. Emergency Medical Services and NYPD officers also responded to the scene. Both teenagers were pulled from the ocean; first responders attempted life-saving measures but Sykes was pronounced dead.

Family, Community and Tributes

Thompson described a heartbreaking scene: she saw her son unresponsive on a stretcher with his heartbeat sustained by a machine. The drowning came two days after her birthday; Thompson said Sykes had left her a birthday gift on her bed and shared a brief moment with her before the tragedy.

Rockaway Beach in New York CityCredit: Sascha Kilmer / Getty Images

Sykes was the eldest of seven brothers, had been preparing to start his senior year at Williamsburg High School and played football for the Rosedale Jets. Thompson has launched a GoFundMe to cover funeral expenses and counseling for the family.

Official Response

New York State Assembly Member Alicia Hyndman said her "heart breaks" for the family and praised Sykes' selflessness while encouraging support for the fundraiser. The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation said officials were saddened by the loss and extended condolences to the family and friends. Authorities are reviewing the drowning to clarify the circumstances.

"He would save someone else before he thought about himself," — Patrice Thompson, mother of Sir Audley Sykes

The community continues to mourn a teenager described by relatives as devoted to his family and teammates. The family requests privacy while they make funeral arrangements and grieve their loss.