A male tourist from the United States lost his life in the treacherous rip currents of Jaco Beach earlier this week. Ibrahim Sam Karadsheh disappeared in the ocean stream on Tuesday; he had arrived in Costa Rica on Sunday along with two cousins who traveled from Southern California.

According to a news report filed by Patricia Duran of daily tabloid Diario Extra, the three U.S. tourists were in the ocean stretch located within sight of their beachfront hotel; they were enjoying a refreshing swim in the surf when they noticed that the force of the undertow was rapidly increasing. In minutes, the three cousins were caught in a maelstrom that made them lose their bearings; they were no longer able to touch the sandy bottom with their feet and the rip current was dragging them seaward rather quickly.

The swimmers battled against the rip current until two of them were able to reach calmer waters; alas, Mr. Karadsheh did not make it past the sea purse and was once again dragged by the rip current until he could no longer be seen from shore.

A search and rescue operation was immediately launched by lifeguards assigned to Jaco Beach. Officers from Fuerza Publica (the national police force of Costa Rica) and Red Cross rescuers also joined the search, which would later be augmented by tourists who volunteered to find Mr. Karadsheh.

Rescue divers were unable to search underwater due to the strong currents, and the watercraft used by the lifeguard could not handle the surf conditions. Up to 15 rescuers were engaged in the search for Mr. Karadsheh, which lasted four days. At one point, an interceptor boat from the National Coast Guard Service was deployed, and a helicopter crew from the Air Surveillance Service attempted to augment the rescue effort but was not able to take off due to windstorm conditions at the airbase in Alajuela. Once the crew was airborne, they located the lifeless body of Mr. Karadsheh about 4.5 kilometers off the coast.

A Red Cross small boat recovered the body. Only one of Mr. Karadsheh’s cousins was able to identify him; the other was far too devastated by the tragic loss.

The dearly departed Mr. Karadsheh was 33 years old when he passed; the picture in the article herein came from his Facebook Timeline, and it was used by his girlfriend Reyna Stephanie Garcia to share a missing person report across her social media circles. A cursory review of Mr. Karadsheh’s online footprint reveals that he was a strapping young man of Middle Eastern appearance; an Orthodox Christian and a graduate from the University of Phoenix who enjoyed having fun and spending time with his gorgeous girlfriend in Southern California. He had ties to the Kingdom of Jordan and was very close with his cousins.

Mr. Karadsheh was a man of few social media updates. A few months ago, he took time to update his relationship status so that his social circles would know of his romantic attachment to Miss Garcia. He would later share a photo of a tender message left by his girlfriend on a bathroom mirror; he added:

Even at the worst of times my girl always finds a way to make me smile.

Needless to mention, the demise of Mr. Karadsheh in Costa Rica has deeply affected Miss Garcia. On her Facebook Timeline, we find a small memorial to the relationship she so treasured: Along with photos that tell the story of a great-looking couple who were very much in love with each other, Miss Garciawrote the following:

Today my WORLD has ended, right next to you.! If I had another opportunity to tell you how I felt; I would tell you how much I love you and miss you. You are and forever will be, the love of my life Sam […] Sam do you Remember all the times we talked about getting married & me having your kids? Well they won’t end here, My Love Ibrahim, because we will continue where we left off in another world! This time I promise; not to ever let you go!

As it happens, the cover picture Mr. Karadsheh chose for his Facebook Timeline cover is a message that could very well serve as an epitaph:

In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take

The Costa Rica Star herewith offers condolences to Mr. Karadsheh’s loved ones.