VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A Virginia Beach fixture died last week while paddleboarding near 16th Street.
Glenn Ryder, 63, passed away on July 31, 2025, while enjoying one of his favorite activities, according to his family.
His son, Brenton Ryder, described the past few days without his father as "very surreal."
"Easy-going, kind, very, very talkative — if you ended up talking with him, you were probably going to talk with him for at least 10 more minutes," Brenton said.
Glenn was a lifelong resident of Virginia Beach and attended Princess Anne High School.
While he worked as a realtor, many recognized him for his regular presence in the ocean.
"Anyone who's gone down to the boardwalk in the morning would ask, 'Who is that big dude on the paddle board out there?' He had become like a Statue of Liberty in Virginia Beach in a sense," Brenton said.
According to his son, Glenn had established a morning routine of paddleboarding whenever conditions allowed.
"My dad had been in a really good habit over the last month or so of getting up every morning. As long as the waves were clean, it didn't matter how small they were; he was going paddleboarding," Brenton said.
Brenton knew something was wrong when he was awakened by his father's friend and noticed Glenn's bike was missing.
"On a day like Thursday, when there's no waves, no current, it wasn't a matter of drowning; it was a medical condition that happened while he was in the water," he said.
The family revealed that Glenn had been battling atrial fibrillation (AFib) but continued to surf because of his passion for the water.
Brenton expressed gratitude for those who assisted his father in his final moments, particularly one woman who offered spiritual comfort.
"She was able to pray over his body as he was leaving the earth. To me, that's significant — he had a guide to send him somewhere when he got up on the beach," Brenton said.
As the community mourns Glenn's passing, his son finds comfort knowing his father died doing what he loved.
"He probably wishes there were better waves, but aside from that, he was where he loved to be, doing what he loved. Anyone who knows my dad knows he would want you to celebrate his life," Brenton said.
The family plans to host a paddle out memorial in September to honor Glenn's life and his love for the ocean.
