The friends and family of Staff sergeant Joseph Russo were shocked on Sunday when they found out that the 47-year old soldier drowned while snorkeling at the popular Ocean Reef Park in Singer Island in Florida.
Russo served with the Florida Army National Guard and was assigned for a nine-month duty in Afghanistan with the 715th military police company from Melbourne Beach. Prior to that, he worked at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center in West Palm Beach.
According to reports, the authorities were contacted by fisherman in the aforementioned area after they discovered a snorkeler that seemed lifeless near a cluster of rocks at the Ocean Reef Park. Lifeguards were the first ones to arrive at the scene and immediately performed CPR on Russo.
The authorities immediately rushed Russo to the nearby St. Mary’s Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
The soldier’s former colleagues said that Russo is a great colleague who’s dedicated to his work and a great friend to others.
Despite the initial findings showing accidental drowning, authorities are still conducting an autopsy to confirm if this is indeed the cause of death. The funeral arrangements are still being processed as of press time.
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