VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — The man who drowned in the Atlantic Ocean following a medical emergency near 16th Street at the Oceanfront was not only a real estate agent, he was also a father of four, a grandfather of three and he had a kind word for all.

Glenn Ryder was a real estate agent in Virginia Beach and lived to paddle the waves, and he died doing what he loved.

Friends and family think his death resulted from a medical emergency that led to his drowning.

Ryder, 62, loved to paddleboard, and he was a regular in the water off of 16th Street.

“It was just his way when he was out there on his paddleboard, and there was just something about it that was beautiful, and I always asked him to go with him, but he never let me go because I don’t know how to surf quite yet,” said Ryder’s broker Wes Coons, recalling times spent with him,  

For 17 years, Coons worked alongside Ryder at Century 21 Top Producers — that’s a long time, side-by-side. 

“Glenn had the biggest heart,” Coons said. “You know, I’ve never, ever heard him say one negative thing about anybody, even if they deserved it, and he always had a smile on his face. Loved his kids. Loved his family. Loved his grandchildren.  

Wes confirms Ryder had serious medical issues.

“He had an afib (atrial fibrillation),” Coons said. “He had some stuff going on with his heart, and he was trying to get that back into rhythm and get his heart healthy, which was a challenge.” 

Thursday morning, Glenn’s health issues caught up with him, and he died doing what he loved. 

“His son called me,  I think from the Oceanfront, and it was just devastating,” Coons said, “so I’ve been communicating with the family as best I can. I clearly heard something. Somebody said don’t go today, because if I had I gone, I would have seen him on the beach.”

Coons said Ryder was everybody’s friend.  

“He was always out in the morning,” Coon said. “I could tell when he came into the building if he’d been surfing that day. It was a beautiful thing. 

Coons and the staff would eventually go to 16th Street to remember an old friend they called a beautiful person.

“I stayed on the beach, and we had a conversation with Glenn and, you know, just wanted to be where he was at,” Coons said.

And then there’s the notes Ryder wrote to his staff and others two months ago. 

“I think Glenn had more health issues than he shared, and he wanted to honor everybody in his life,” Coons said.

He wrote notes about how he felt about his co-workers. Coons got one of them.  

Choking back tears, Coons said “it was like, I love you and I want you to know what you mean to me.”

Coons began reading from the letter Ryder wrote to him.

“Thank you for the love you’ve given me. Thank you for always having my back. I’m really glad you came into my life, and I’m a better man for it. Your leadership, patience and support have meant the world to me and tell the gang over at Century 21 to our producers that I love them, and I really enjoyed working with them. Love ‘G’ “ 

We asked Coons: Was Ryder saying goodbye?

“I think he was just saying how much he loves us,” Coons said. “He always had this quirky smile, and I think he is one of the most beautiful people. … Glenn Ryder was the brightest light, and if you had the opportunity to spend any time with him, he is like an angel touching you, and he will be missed.” 

As you can read, Wes Coons was moved by those notes from Glenn. 

So much so to honor Glenn, Wes is taking Glenn’s lead and writing his own notes to people, in the living years, to let them know what they mean to him. 

Certainly, something to think about.