RIP, guy.


Father of 13 drowns checking on his boat in aftermath of Hurricane Irene

BY Edgar Sandoval and Joe Kemp
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Sunday, August 28th 2011, 8:44 PM






Family Photo
Jose Sierra, 68, drowned at the City Island Marina Sunday after checking on his boat in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.

A Bronx man died after checking on his boat at a City Island marina during the aftermath Tropical Storm Irene Sunday morning, cops and witnesses said.

Jose Sierra, 68, went to Sunset Marina on City Island Ave. as the winds whipped across the high waters about 9 a.m., police and a relative said.

But when the owner of the nearby City Island Marina went to check his property about 4:40 p.m., he spotted Sierra's body floating in the water and tangled between two boats, he said.

"I saw his body, face up, hung on a line in between some boats," said the owner, who declined to give his name. "I was pretty upset. It's not something you see every day."

The owner dialed 911 and police soon came to pull Sierra's body from the water.

Locals believe the father of 13, who lives in Crotona Park East, fell in the water near his boat and drifted to the neighboring marina.

"He came alone," said Eric Irizarry, 51, whose daughter is married to one of Sierra's sons. "His wife told him not to leave, but he went anyway. He must have sneaked out."

Irizarry said Sierra cherished the time he spent on his boat.

"He loved the water," Irizarry said. "It's a tragedy. It didn't have to happen like this."

One local said he was surprised Sierra took a chance against the harsh weather.

"This was not a good time to check on your boat," said Corey Patton, 20. "The water was rough. If they say a hurricane hit, you don't go into the water. It's not worth your life."