The family of a 5-year-old boy who drowned in the waters off of Port Aransas last week is seeking the public’s help with funeral and other expenses, according to a GoFundMe campaign launched by the boy’s aunt.
“On July 22, 2026, our family’s world changed forever. Benny, Sandra’s bright and beautiful 5-year-old son, was unexpectedly taken from us. There are no words big enough to hold this loss,” Benny’s aunt, Alejandra Baxter, said in the GoFundMe campaign. Baxter is the sister of Benny’s mother, Sandra Nava.
Benny Arredondo, of Jourdanton, a town about 40 miles south of San Antonio, was visiting Port Aransas with his family on Wednesday, July 22, when he became separated from his family near Beach Marker 46. Benny, who couldn’t swim, had been wearing a flotation device earlier in the day, but it had been removed while the family was preparing to leave the beach, according to Port Aransas Police Chief James Stokes.
First responders, including a Texas Game Warden and Port Aransas police officers, attempted lifesaving measures — including using an “automated external defibrillator” — until an ambulance could transport the boy to a local hospital, where he later died. Stokes told MySA that the best thing parents can do is maintain constant supervision of their children, especially when the beaches are crowded, as waves and currents can quickly cause them to become disoriented.
“The beaches get crowded during peak season, and it does not take but a second for a child to wander off from their parents or from the group and get lost,” Stokes said. “Never rely on a flotation device as a substitute for supervision. … It’s super easy to turn around and grab something and the next thing you know, you’re running up and down the beach looking for your child because they wandered off and don’t recognize where they are.”
Meanwhile, Benny’s family has been left grappling with his loss — and with the unexpected expense of his funeral. Baxter, his aunt, is hoping the public will pitch in to help cover costs for the funeral, “meals for the family during this time,” and counseling for Benny’s mom and siblings, sister Ariel, and brother Damian, whom he “adored,” she said. Baxter described Benny as an ardent fan of Spider-Man who loved to dance “whenever the mood struck him,” and was quick to laugh.
“Benny was pure joy in motion. His love and smile radiated in every room he entered. … He was so excited to start kindergarten this year — new friends, new adventures, a whole world he couldn’t wait to explore,” Baxter said.