UPDATE: Boogie Boarder identified as 62 year old Vernon Taniguchi. Could be a local.
The Medical Examiner reported that the man pulled from the surf at Dog Beach on Sunday who later died is Vernon Taniguchi from San Diego.
We cannot be completely positive about whether the victim is Vernon Taniguchi of Point Loma, of Worden Street.
So the 62 year old who met his end Sunday very well could be a local. The deceased is Japanese-American and his next of kin have been notified.
What caused him to pass out in the water is still not known.
A surfer found Taniguchi unconscious and floating offshore from the western end of Voltaire Street – Dog Beach – about 6 p.m. Sunday and pulled him to shore, according to the county Medical Examiner’s Office.
A reader named “Don” who commented on our earlier article stated that he was one of 4 or 5 people who helped pull Taniguchi to shore.
There were actually 4 or 5 people pulling the man to shore, myself included, using the board to help get him in. One of them was another surfer who was the one initially trying to bring him to shore. The man on the boogieboard was wearing some shop goggles with shoelaces tied on them. Makes me wonder if he was out there looking at sea life and not boogieboarding. He was also wearing fins and a wetsuit. The SD fire & rescue/Lifeguards arrived quickly and did a tremendous job trying to save this man.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Vernon was in my class at Point Loma High. Class of 1968. He was a swell fellow. He’ll be missed by everyone who knew him.
He was a retired Chemist who was the caretaker for his mom. I grew up down the street from him and my family knew his. Very nice person. My condolences to his family. He will be missed.
I drove by the victim’s home this afternoon and noted a big boat alongside the house. It seems obvious that Vernon (and family) was an ocean-lover and until we hear what happened to him, I have to hope that he went peacefully while doing what he loved.
heartfelt condolences to this man’s family and friends. & a hearty thank you to all who willingly gave of themselves in the rescue efforts. nice to see fellow ocean-goers still willing to help out a fellow human being.
The medical examiner said he broke his neck
He died doing what he loved
I tried to save him. There were not 4 or 5 people pulling him to shore. Nobody helped me until I was ankle deep.
Some guy said, “I thought it was a dog ”
Fly high Vernon
catch the barrel in the sky
Hello Mark,
I was a close friend of Vern and his family.
I searched the blogs too see if I could find the Good Samaritan who tried to help our friend and family member and thank you for your selfless act of kindness toward another human being. His family and I are grateful for at least allowing us to put him to rest by bringing him back to shore.
Alma
Many years ago, I had a dear friend named Vern Taniguchi and I googled him to try to find him. He worked as a PHD Chemist at Unocal when I knew him. I believe his parents/family were from San Diego too. I’m wondering if this is the same Vern? He loved the ocean too. I wish I knew if this was him? He was a great guy – highly intelligent and a kind person. Thanks to the who helped him. May God Rest His Soul
Yes, I’m sure this must be the same man reported elsewhere as Vernon T. [Take] Taniguchi. Vern and I overlapped in graduate school at UC Irvine over 1976-1978. He eventually went on to work at Union Oil in Brea, CA. He was from San Diego and got his bachelor’s degree at UCSD.