New Yorkers mourn the loss of young Hurricane Sandy hero

Earlier this month Dylan Smith was named one of People Magazine's "2012 Heroes of the Year" for his heroic rescue efforts during Hurricane Sandy. The 23-year-old surfer from Belle Harbor, New York, helped save six people from ravaging fires in the aftermath of the storm, using a makeshift rope bridge along with his surfboard to get stranded victims to safety on the Rockaway Peninsula.

Photo of Dylan Smith courtesy the Smith family archives.

Tragically, on Sunday, Smith's body was found floating near his surfboard along Maria's Beach on the west coast of Puerto Rico. Smith was vacationing there to enjoy the warm water and winter swells near Rincon, one of the most renowned surf breaks on the island, and a favorite escape for East Coast surfers.

Read more by Chris Mauro on GrindTV.com ; New Yorkers mourn the loss of young Hurricane Sandy hero