SAN DIEGO — A local surfer and San Diego State University graduate suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury on Easter weekend that has left him paralyzed.

According to his family, 23-year-old Collin Bosse was swimming in Mission Bay with his friends on Saturday, April 8 when the unexpected happened — he unknowingly dove into shallow waters.

Instead of gliding through the bay as anticipated, Collin hit his head with force on the bottom. Summer Bosse, Collin’s sister, told FOX5SanDiego.com her brother immediately felt a strange sensation in his body before he sunk under the water and was unable to move.

His friends — one of them a lifeguard — noticed something was wrong, immediately springing into action. Summer says one person stabilized his neck while others called emergency services.

Once at the hospital and assessed my medical professionals, Collin’s family said doctors told them he had suffered fractures to his spine and major damage to his spinal cord. The local surfer was declared paralyzed from the chest down. Summer says he has very limited mobility in his arms and hands.

His family wrote on a GoFundMe page, “Collin’s accident is our family’s ‘all hands on deck’ moment. It entails many circumstances we have never faced and a pledge we have all made from love for our sweet Collin. The road forward undoubtedly requires our family to be flexible and able to adjust to the many financial requirements ahead.”

Now that Collin is on his road to recovery, the fundraiser has been created to help his family ensure that the SDSU graduate receives care from “the most capable and qualified doctors and professionals.”

Donations to the fundraiser can be made here.

His family wrote, “Collin is an incredible and compassionate human being with a wicked sense of humor. At 23, has his whole life ahead. He lights up any room with his positivity and is an incredible surfer with a deep passion for the ocean. We have faith in his unparalleled dedication to any project put in front of him, including the events he must now face. There is no doubt that Collin will bring 110% of his strength and determination to the hurdles before him.”

In a statement made by Collin, which was posted to the GoFundMe page, he said “there’s no doubt” in his mind that he will surf again.

The Bosse family said, “We are so grateful for the amazing first responders and staff at Scripps Memorial Hospital. Collin’s strength and optimism has been a guiding light for his friends and family during this time. We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and positivity from his community. Although life might not look the same, he’s looking forward to the day he’s back on a surfboard and we get to have our back home.”