Fred Salter, tragically passed away yesterday doing what he loved most… he never took life for granted and lived each moment to its fullest,” a GoFundMe page reads
A Florida man who was enjoying a day at the beach kite surfing has tragically died after authorities say a gust of wind sent him flying into the side of a home.
Fred Salter, 61, of Fort Lauderdale, was identified as the victim in Wednesday’s fatal accident, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Stephen Holland told CNN that the incident occurred in the city around 10 a.m.
Fire rescue crews were called to the scene after receiving reports that a man who was kite surfing “had flown into the side of a residence,” Holland explained to the outlet.
Kite surfing, also called kite boarding, is a wind-powered sport where a person holds a kite and uses the wind to be pulled on water, according to Surfer Today. The activity combines elements of wakeboarding, surfing, windsurfing, snowboarding, paragliding, and skateboarding, and is sometimes performed on land, per the outlet.
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After first responders arrived, they found Salter’s orange kite tangled in the home’s balcony and his board on the sand at the nearby beach — both of which were captured in photos and provided to PEOPLE by the fire chief.
Holland told CNN that a bystander at the scene told officials that the man was on the beach when he went flying in the air and struck the north side of the home.
Holland noted to CNN that crews had “experienced heavy winds and a strong thunderstorm,” which moved quickly into the area during that time.
Salter was transported to a hospital in critical condition but later died from his injuries around 1 p.m.,
Gollan confirmed to CNN.
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