Heartbroken girlfriend of Olympic snowboarder Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin is supported by an army of surfers as she leads a moving dawn memorial in the waters where he drowned
- Girlfriend of Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin paid tribute to snowboarder in dawn memorial
- Pullin suffered a blackout while in the water at Palm Beach, QLD, on Wednesday
- Paramedics performed CPR for 45 minutes but could not revive him
- Ellidy Vlug and friends waded into the waters to farewell the 32-year-old
The girlfriend of Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin paid tribute to his life in a moving dawn memorial at the beach where the snowboarding champion drowned while spearfishing.
His heartbroken partner Ellidy Vlug, 28, summoned the strength to lead an early Saturday morning service in tribute of the 32-year-old.
Supported by an army of surfing mates, Ms Vlug paddled into the waters at Palm Beach, just meters from where the Olympic snowboarder died.
Pullin had been alone in the water at Palm Beach, on the Gold Coast, when he suffered an underwater blackout on Wednesday morning.
Paramedics performed CPR for 45-mintues on Pullin but were unable to revive him.
The girlfriend of late Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin paid tribute to his life in a moving dawn memorial (pictured, Ellidy Vlug is flanked by family and friends during the morning service)
Ms Vlug and a handful of friends (pictured on Saturday morning) waded into the same waters that took her beloved boyfriend to share an emotional farewell
Family and friends comfort a tearful Ms Vlug during the morning service
Ms Vlug (centre) and Pullin's father (left) carry their boards out to the surf during the morning service
Ms Vlug and a handful of friends waded into the same waters that took her beloved boyfriend to share an emotional farewell.
The group of mourners donned wreaths of flowers around their heads and surf swimsuits - one of Pullin's passions was to surf during the summer.
Surfer Mick Fanning and Pullin's father joined the mourners in a paddle out while grieving locals who chose to remain on land planted bouquets of flowers in the sand.
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Pullin suffered a shallow water blackout on Wednesday morning while free diving and drowned.
On the morning of his death, the couple woke late before Pullin decided to go get some sun.
Ms Vlug told Daily Mail Australia she last saw her boyfriend alive moments before he'd decided to go for a dive, telling him: 'Love you, watch out for sharks'.
Bouquets have been steadily arriving since Wednesday afternoon, and are partially buried in the sand to keep them in place overnight.
The group of mourners donned wreaths of flowers around their heads and surf swimsuits (pictured on Saturday morning, Ms Vlug in a headdress and black wetsuit)
Grieving locals planted bouquets of flowers in the sand (pictured on Saturday morning) as Ms Vlug wept in the centre, surrounded by loved ones
Surfer Mick Fanning joins the paddle out during the early morning service
The couple shared a Kelpie puppy named Rummi (pictured together) and were planning the rest of their lives together
Later on Friday morning, Ms Vlug shared a touching video to social media showing the flower arrangements sitting on the shore as the sun rose in the background.
'Chump my baby, rest in paradise,' she wrote.
'I can't bear to type these words.'
Ms Vlug was first warned something might be amiss by her neighbour, Belinda Anderson, on Wednesday morning.
Ms Anderson had spoken with Pullin on his way out of the house, so knew he was heading down to Palm Beach to go spearfishing.
Hours later, she saw a post in a local community Facebook page. It read that a man in his 30s had been pulled to the shore, unconscious.
Friends and family don swimsuits to wade into the water to pay tribute to late Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin
Ms Vlug and the couple's dog Rummi pictured at the beach during the morning service
The couple's kelpie Rummi waits on the beach while the surfers paddle out to pay their respects
Pullin (pictured with Ms Vlug, left and right) was a keen spearfisher but tragically blacked out underwater on Wednesday)
She immediately sought out Ms Vlug.
'I went over and showed his partner the message as I knew he was out there,' Ms Anderson explained.
Ms Vlug previously told Daily Mail Australia she returned from a walk to her neighbour at her door telling her there had been an accident.
She rushed down to the beach with her mother, where she was told by first responders that the victim was in fact her partner of eight years.
'The world lost an amazing human today,' Ms Anderson wrote in a touching tribute to her neighbour.
'He was loved and admired by so many. He passed away doing what he loved'.
Pullin's father (left) with Ms Vlug (centre) and the kelpie Rummi
Surfers paddle out in memory of Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin during the morning service
Mourners paddle out to pay their respects to Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin
Family and friends surround Ms Vlug in the water to pay tribute to late Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin
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