DEATH— A 19-year-old man from Sayreville is being laid to rest this week; his family has called him a “super hero” for his efforts to save the lives of his brother and cousin. On Tuesday from 3 to 7 p.m., friends and family are invited to the Carmen F. Spezzi Funeral Home in Parlin for a wake for Elisam Santana, also known as Eli, a 2022 graduate of Sayreville War Memorial High School who had intended to major in finance at Brookdale Community College.
The funeral home also hosted services on Monday. His obituary states that his burial will take place in Hackensack’s Maple Grove Park Cemetery on Wednesday morning. On August 6, Santana drowned while swimming with his family in a Pennsylvania lake known for its deep depths and dangerous drop-offs.
Santana reportedly went swimming with family and friends on August 6 at Beltzville Lake, a 949-acre body of water located in Beltzville State Park in the southern foothills of the Poconos, as reported by Lehigh Valley Live. The sand beach and picnic pavilion are two of the most frequently visited spots, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The beach along the lake was full, so they went to a different place by a cove to go swimming. The depth of the water drops off rapidly in the cove region, making it unsafe for swimming. Santana died while trying to save his sibling and cousin from the water, as reported by Lehigh Valley Live. His obituary reads, “Eli was the true definition of a ‘Super Hero,’ sacrificing his life to save those he loved.”
Santana, a Monroe, Pennsylvania native who learned to trade stocks on his own, was a frequent early riser. According to his obituary, he had a passion for working out, basketball, and eating healthy, organic foods. “Eli was a humanitarian who was always looking for new ways to give back to the community and honor his mother for all that she had done for him. Eli watched out for him and taught him how to be brave, strong, and disciplined. Indeed, Eli served as an inspiration to all.
His obituary reads, “He was a loving son, brother, cousin, friend, and he will be deeply missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.” The EMTs and volunteers in Pennsylvania who helped the Santana family were acknowledged in the family’s obituary.
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