A lifeguard hailed as a hero for rescuing at least a half dozen people during Superstorm Sandy died while surfing off a popular beach in Puerto Rico.

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23-year-old Dylan Smith was found floating lifeless Sunday morning tethered to his surfboard off Maria’s Beach in the western Puerto Rican community of Rincon.

During the height of Sandy’s fury, Smith, famously rescued people using a bridge he had fashioned out of rope while traveling on his surfboard.

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Smith was recently selected as one of People Magazine’s Heroes of 2012.

Authorities say a local resident spotted Smith in the water Sunday and brought him to shore. A local doctor tried to resuscitate him but the surfer showed no signs of life.