San Francisco surfer, 64, died after slamming into a rock while bodyboarding near the Golden Gate Bridge
A San Francisco pie shop owner and surfer, 64, has died after slamming into a rock while body-boarding near the Golden Gate Bridge.
Haruwn Wesley died in San Francisco General Hospital Sunday surrounded by his family exactly one week after he suffered a tragic accident near Fort Point in the Presidio.
Wesley, owner of popular local bakery Shampa's Pies and an experienced surfer, was body-boarding just after 5 p.m. on December 13 when he was violently thrown from a wave into the rocks, according to a GoFundMe set up by his grieving wife of 20 years Margaret Coles Wesley.
The father-of-two suffered multiple injuries in the collision and was knocked unconscious, plunging beneath the water.
Three fellow surfers rushed to his rescue and dragged Wesley to shore while performing CPR on him.
He was taken to hospital but died of his injuries seven days later on December 20.
The surfing community paid tribute to Wesley, who surfed every day and has rescued at least six others off the Californian coast over the years.
San Francisco pie shop owner and surfer Haruwn Wesley, 64, has died after slamming into a rock while body-boarding near the Golden Gate Bridge. The GoFundMe page above
The tragic accident took place near Fort Point by the Golden Gate Bridge
In 2005, he was awarded a Congressional Honor from the US House of Representatives and was recognized as a Hero by the American Red Cross for saving the life of a man whose boat capsized under the Golden Gate Bridge and life vest then malfunctioned.
Wesley put the man on his back and surfed back to shore, but then downplayed his heroic actions, Margaret told SFGate.
'The day that it happened, he just came home a little late, and we were all kind of talking, and it came up,' she said.
'Yeah, you just go out and rescue somebody and you don't make a big deal of it. Then they made a big deal out of it and he felt weird.'
On another occasion, Wesley saved another man who was struggling in the waves at Ocean Beach.
According to the GoFundMe, Wesley was on the shore at the time when he saw people screaming and pointing at the man in the water.
Wesley leaped into action, diving into the heavy surf and swimming 50 yards to the man, rescuing him before the Surf Patrol arrived.
Margaret said she had lost count of how many people he saved over the years.
Haruwn Wesley died in San Francisco General Hospital Sunday surrounded by his family exactly one week after he suffered a tragic accident near Fort Point in the Presidio
Wesley was also well-known in the community for his pie shop, which he set up in 2014 because of his love of baking and has since gone on to develop a cult-like following
Wesley, the owner of popular local bakery Shampa's Pies and an experienced surfer, was body-boarding just after 5 p.m. on December 13 when he was thrown from a wave into the rocks
'I asked him once how many he had saved, and he had lost count at more than 6 or 7, and that was many years ago,' she said.
Wesley's fellow surfers repaid the favor, coming to his rescue last week - something his family said gave them another seven days with him to say goodbye.
Hunter Chiles, an off-duty paramedic, Andy Olive and Jack Treacy pulled him from the water and administered life-saving measures until the emergency services arrived, reported SFGate .
San Francisco Fire Department Lt. Jonathan Baxter described their efforts as 'heroic'.
Jeff Skover, who has surfed with Wesley for decades, told the outlet 'the surf community came around' to rescue their friend.
Wesley (in a surfing pic) rescued at least six others off the Californian coast over the years
'Maggie said if it weren't for the rescue, he wouldn't have gone off in an ambulance. He wouldn't have had those last days with his family,' he said.
Wesley was also well-known in the community for his pie shop, which he set up in 2014 because of his love of baking and has since gone on to develop a cult-like following.
The store was named after his kids' nickname for his mother-in-law 'Shampa' and Wesley often took his pies to food festivals all around the area selling his organic sweet potato, lemon chess, fancy pecan, chocolate cream, apple cobbler and other pies.
Wesley, grew up in Haight-Ashbury area of San Francisco, was also a keen jazz musician and his wife told SFGate that, though he never woke up after his accident, they played jazz for him and he squeezed his daughter's hand while he lay in hospital.
In 2005, Wesley was awarded a Congressional Honor from the US House of Representatives for saving a man's life under the Golden Gate Bridge. Wesley pictured with his family in images shared on the GoFundMe page
The GoFundMe set up to help pay for funeral expenses, Wesley's medical costs and for business costs had raised more than $58,000 by Wednesday
Skover paid tribute to his friend's constant sense of positivity.
'The one thing about Haruwn that everyone says together is he was probably one of the most positive of the surfers,' Skover told SFGate.
'It was in a very sincere way. It wasn't manufactured. When I'd see him and say, 'Hi Haruwn, how you doing,' he'd say, 'Blessed.' He was always on that positive note. You don't get that from most surfers.'
Wesley leaves behind his wife Margaret, daughter Simone Marie, 17, step-son Cosmo, 21, and three sisters.
The family temporarily closed Shampa's Pies after his accident and donated 200 pies to S.F.'s Glide Memorial Church for those in need, while they decide what to do with the business.
The GoFundMe set up to help pay for funeral expenses, Wesley's medical costs and for business costs had raised more than $58,000 by Wednesday.
Wesley was also well-known in the community for his pie shop, which he set up in 2014 because of his love of baking and has since gone on to develop a cult-like following