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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 8:13 p.m., Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Kalaeloa surfer who died was Kaneohe man

Advertiser Staff

The Honolulu Medical Examiner's office identified the male surfer who died today after being found unconscious in the water off White Plains Beach near Kalaeloa as Lawrence Joyce, 58, of Kane'ohe.

An autopsy will be performed tomorrow to determine cause and manner of death,

Joyce's body was recovered at about 12:30 p.m.

Four members of the U.S. Coast Guard who were surfing in the area brought the man to shore. He was unconscious and floating face down when they found him, said Lt. Don Isom, one of the Coast Guard members who tried to rescue him.

"We were out and a guy on a paddleboard saw him and started yelling for help so we went over to help," Isom said. "We got him on the paddleboard and got him in as fast as we could. When we got to shore, lifeguards started administering CPR until EMS took him away."

Isom said a surfboard was found near the man's body, but he couldn't say what happened. The man's wife was on shore when they pulled him in, he said.

"The surf wasn't big, about 1 to 2 feet," Isom said. "I couldn't tell you what happened."

Authorities have not released the man's name.