Woman rescued during memorial paddle-out for Seau
Wally Sani, a friend of Junior Seau, throws some flowers into the ocean off Oceanside, Calif., Sunday, May 6, 2012. A paddle-out was held to honor Seau, who committed suicide in his home Wednesday. Surfers said prayers and gave testimonials about the former football player. (AP Photo/UT San Diego, Sean M. Haffey) MANDATORY CREDIT MAGS OUT NO SALES TV OUT SAN DIEGO COUNTY OUT ARCHIVE OUT FOREIGNS OUT COMMERCIAL ONLINE USE OUT
Friends and fans of former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau, who committed suicide Wednesday at his home in Oceanside, Calif., participate in a paddle-out memorial in the water in front of his home Sunday, May 6, 2012. (AP Photo/UT San Diego, Howard Lipin) MANDATORY CREDIT MAGS OUT NO SALES TV OUT SAN DIEGO COUNTY OUT ARCHIVE OUT FOREIGNS OUT COMMERCIAL ONLINE USE OUT
Friends and fans of former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau, who committed suicide Wednesday at his home in Oceanside, Calif., participate in a paddle-out memorial in the water in front of his home Sunday, May 6, 2012. (AP Photo/UT San Diego, Howard Lipin) MANDATORY CREDIT MAGS OUT NO SALES TV OUT SAN DIEGO COUNTY OUT ARCHIVE OUT FOREIGNS OUT COMMERCIAL ONLINE USE OUT
Friends and fans of former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau, who committed suicide Wednesday at his home in Oceanside, Calif., participate in a paddle-out memorial in the water in front of his home Sunday, May 6, 2012. (AP Photo/UT San Diego, Howard Lipin) MANDATORY CREDIT MAGS OUT NO SALES TV OUT SAN DIEGO COUNTY OUT ARCHIVE OUT FOREIGNS OUT COMMERCIAL ONLINE USE OUT
On Saturday May 6, 2012, some of about 1000 surfers whip up the water during a paddle-out ceremony in memory Junior Seau, the former NFL superstar who killed himself earlier this week. Some had #55 painted on their backs. It was the number Seau wore when he was a linebacker with the San Diego Chargers. The event took place about 100 yards off shore from Seau's ocean front home on The Strand in Oceanside, Calif. (AP Photo/Los Angeles Times, Don Bartlett) MANDATORY CREDIT**Don Bartletti/Los Angeles Times**MANDATORY CREDIT NO MAGS, NO SALES NO FOREIGN NO TELEVISION, INTERNET. LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, VENTURA COUNTY STAR, INLAND VALLEY DAILY BULLETIN, SAN BERNARDINO SUN AND LA OPINION OUT.
J. Michael encourages paddlers to cheer for Junior Seau, off Oceanside, Calif., Sunday, May 6, 2012. A paddle-out was held to honor Seau, who committed suicide in his home Wednesday. Surfers said prayers and gave testimonials about the former football player. (AP Photo/UT San Diego, Sean M. Haffey) MANDATORY CREDIT MAGS OUT NO SALES TV OUT SAN DIEGO COUNTY OUT ARCHIVE OUT FOREIGNS OUT COMMERCIAL ONLINE USE OUT
OCEANSIDE, Calif. >> A woman has been hospitalized in serious condition after she was found face-down in the water during a Southern California tribute to former NFL linebacker Junior Seau.
Oceanside fire officials say a woman in her 50s was seen floating in the water Sunday afternoon.
Lifeguards brought the woman to shore, where she was given lifesaving efforts and taken to a hospital.
She’d joined hundreds of people who paddled surfboards and kayaks near Seau’s Oceanside home in memory of the football player, who shot himself last week.
The Los Angeles Times reports that participants at Sunday’s seaside memorial included Seau’s former teammate Drew Brees, who played quarterback for the San Diego Chargers when Seau was the star linebacker.
The 43-year-old Seau committed suicide Wednesday at his home in Oceanside.Seau was an avid surfer who was often seen riding the waves in front of his home.
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Fans and well-wishers formed a circle across the water and held hands while a prayer was said for him.
They also chanted Seau’s name and the number 55, his number at Southern California and during 20 years in the NFL.
