Surfer’s Save, Crisis, and Suicide

Mark Clemmensen, Council President, ran unopposed for Mayor, replacing retiring Mayor Edward Ahearn, whose three terms were marked by a lack of significant controversy. Mark had been on the planning board and then its chair before running for council. He was the former superintendent at the National Guard Training Center and a retired Lt. Col. He was the fourth Guard member to be part of Borough leadership.

The only party in town (elephant playing solitaire)

Politics in Sea Girt was generally smooth, boring, with outcomes determined at the Republican primary with little controversy. A committee of Republicans selected candidates to back, always supporting incumbents.

Mark, who lived on Stockton Blvd. with a view of the NGTC, fought off a Corzine Administration effort to value the Guard Camp property for potential sale. Instead, he advocated for the expansion of the training facilities and the upgrade of buildings. He was awarded a Civilian Commendation medal by Governor Christie for his support of the revised base master plan.

Sea Girt also protected the property by changing the zoning of the camp from residential to open space. This would help fend off builders’ remedy suits under the COAH rules for affordable housing if the state ever changed its mind about the property.

Sea Girt’s kids grew up surfing. The Manasquan HS team under Kris Buss became a powerhouse, with a team of almost 50. In 2008, the squad made their 5th trip in a row to California for the NSSA national Championships.

There was a healthy cycle. Kids learned at an early age at the Junior Lifeguard Surf camps. Those who loved the sport and excelled wanted as much beach time as possible, and many qualified for lifeguard jobs. Surfing was a serious athletic pursuit as was life saving.

Dave Warren, Ryan Pace and Jay Amberg were surfing off the beach at Chicago Blvd. It was late April, and the water was bone-chilling and very rough. Warren noted to himself that if the season had started, it would be a yellow flag day.

Dillon Ceglio of Bayonne, fooled by the warm air temperatures, jumped in the water to retrieve a skimboard he was using in the backwash. With no wetsuit, in a few minutes, he was struggling. He was fighting a rip current, and soon was exhausted in 10-foot deep water. The surfers saw him go under and paddled over to him. They pulled his body to shore, where he suddenly collapsed, and Warren administered first aid and resuscitated the man.

The three lifeguards were celebrated by the council and Lifeguard Chief Tim Harmon for their heroic save. Ceglio certainly would have died if he had not been lucky to be sharing the water with the lifeguards. Jim Freda, Beach Manager, noted, “Lifeguards are always on duty when they’re in the water. They are also more aware of their surroundings.”

The great financial crisis of 2008 was driven by the bursting of the real estate bubble, the subprime loan crisis, and the subsequent meltdown of Wall Street brokerage firms that leaned heavily on Mortgage Backed Securities and Credit Default Swaps. Jobs and fortunes were lost starting in 2007. The bank bailouts helped propel Barack Obama over John McCain to the presidency. The unrest also contributed to serious problems of depression in our youth.

There was tragedy at Manasquan HS. Tim Shenke of Spring Lake Heights was hit by a train. It was an act of suicide for a bright young man planning on studying Engineering at Drexel. His mother Lisa wrote a brutally honest letter to the Coast Star that opened dialogue. She knew there were more kids at the school with issues. She desperately wanted them to avoid substance abuse and to tell their parents to get help for their kids. She railed against the growing view that marijuana was harmless. Her son wasn’t a drug addict, but drugs exacerbated the tension and his condition.

There was a rash of suicides at the school. Nine young people took their lives in two years, five by train. Counselors descended on the school, and the entire section of the coast suffered with the pain.

Some good came in the aftermath and the discussion triggered by the incidents. The Samaritan Center of the Jersey Shore, a not-for-profit counseling service, opened in Manasquan. It established a foothold based in faith. They foster a spirit of hope and well-being for the mind, body, spirit, and community. The fundraising brought many people together and raised awareness. It very quickly gained a reputation and was honored by the New Jersey Hospital Association for its groundbreaking work.

Lisa Shenke also continued her mission, educating and working with groups seeking to help kids avoid negative spirals and suicide. She wrote a book, “Without Tim” about her journey with a message for all about coping, survival and support.