The whole East Coast surfing community suffered a tremendous loss when VB's Zeke Sanders died in his home on January 5. He was 29.

Zeke was among the premier surfers on the East Coast in the late 1990s, winning a prestigious professional event in New Jersey in 1998. Recently, he remained a First Street favorite while working for Hurley International.

Zeke will be remembered as a slight man with a giant heart who experienced life on his own terms.

Surfline immediately heard an outpouring of grief, such as the following note from the Virginia Longboard Federation's Mary Knight: "The community will suffer without him here in our world. Zeke was a good friend to my family, as well as a member of the Virginia Longboard Federation. Without him the Steel Pier Longboard Classic would have never gotten off the ground. His class line to me when I had doubt I could handle this undertaking was, "No Worries, Everything is Good! You will be great!" Zeke's elegance and style was overwhelming and an inspiration to many a lad trying to imitate his beauty while surfing. I will forever be grateful."

On January 10, nearly a hundred surfers entered the icy water at Vah Beach's First Street Jetty for a paddle-out to honor their fallen comrade Zeke Sanders who passed away a few days earlier. In all, a few hundred mourners turned out for the ceremony on the beach and to help spread Zeke's ashes. The little guy with the giant heart will forever be a part of the local surfing community.