Man drowns in Atlantic Beach

Robert Hickman Jr., 38, was visiting area with family to attend wedding

Robert Hickman Jr., 38, drowned at Atlantic Beach Saturday

ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. – A man drowned Saturday near 12th Street, Atlantic Beach police said.

Robert Hickman Jr., 38, of Champaign, Illinois, was standing in the ocean when he was knocked down by rough surf and didn’t resurface.

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A family friend tried to pull Hickman out of the water but was unable to due to the current. Atlantic Beach Ocean Rescue found him unconscious just north of 12th Street. Hickman was pulled from the water and taken to Beaches Baptist, where he was pronounced dead at 5:24 p.m., officials said.

Hickman was visiting the area with his family for the weekend to attend a wedding. They were expected to leave Sunday.

Hickman recently completed training at Le Cordon Blue College of Culinary Arts in Chicago. He was set to graduate Oct. 29.

Click here to donate to the GoFundMe site that Hickman's family set up to help pay for burial costs.