PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — More than two years after West Palm Beach native Virgil Price III disappeared during a freedive and never resurfaced on Mother's Day morning, his family finally has a place to visit, remember him and find a measure of peace.
On Thursday, loved ones gathered off the coast of Palm Beach County as a memorial reef sculpted in Price's image was deployed into the Atlantic Ocean, creating a permanent tribute to the 39-year-old diver whose passion for the ocean shaped his life.
For Price's family, who never recovered his body, the project represents far more than an artificial reef. It's a permanent place of remembrance and a source of closure after years of grief.
"It's just very emotional," said his mother, Kate Cerasaro. "Really happy to think Virgil will finally have a resting place since we never found his body."
Price disappeared during a Mother's Day dive in 2024 and never resurfaced; that was the last time Cerasaro spoke with her son.
WPTV has been connected with the family ever since his disappearance.
Family members described him as a lifelong ocean lover, athlete, musician and conservation advocate.
They said he volunteered at Loggerhead Marinelife Center as a teenager and later spent time in Trinidad and Tobago teaching at-risk youth how to swim and dive.
Family also said he was preparing to compete in the Freediving World Championships in Greece before his disappearance.
His younger sister, Brit Drozda, previously told WPTV about her brother's connection to the water.
"He had such a passion from a young age for the ocean. He taught me how to surf," Drozda said.
The memorial reef reflects many of the things that made Virgil who he was.
The structure features Virgil making a shaka hand gesture alongside his two beloved dogs. A turtle is included as a nod to his first tattoo and the childhood nickname "Turtle Boy." The design also incorporates a pirate ship representing his childhood imagination, and owls, which he collected.
The reef also honors one of his lifelong passions: the ocean.
"What do you think Virgil would say to know that he's going to have his own little reef built after him?" WPTV asked Cerasaro.
"I think he would be really excited because he didn't really like attention; he was a musician, he was every other thing, but he never wanted to be the center of attention," answered Cerasaro, who threw up the shaka hand gesture.
Built by Reef Cells, the artificial reef is made from 100% ocean-friendly concrete and limestone and weighs approximately six tons. The company also donated additional reef structures that were installed alongside Virgil's reef.
The six-ton memorial reef now rests offshore at 26° 45.237' N, 80° 01.584' W, giving Virgil's loved ones a specific place to visit and remember him, even though his body was never recovered.
The significance of having a physical place to honor Virgil has been a recurring theme throughout the family's healing process.
During a 2025 interview with WPTV while fundraising for the reef project, family unveiled plans for the memorial reef, hoping to create something that reflected Virgil's passion for the ocean and marine conservation.
"I think he would just love it, I just think it's so Virgil," Cerasaro told WPTV in 2025. "To have fish swimming in and out of it and all around there and adding something to the ecosystem is just what he would love."
Now that the reef has been installed, she says that vision has become reality.
"I just couldn’t believe it, I just burst out crying," said Cerasaro. "I feel like he's surrounded by everything that he loved."
For Drozda, watching the deployment brought a sense of peace.
"I can't wait to see what sea life flourishes down there," said Drozda. "And it's really close to where he used to go surfing and dove himself."
She said seeing the memorial on the ocean floor feels fitting because so much of Virgil's life revolved around the water.
"The piece of peace I have is he was doing something he was so passionate about and loved so much. So to see him in his element and preserved that way is pretty awesome."
The project has also been supported in part by Underwater Hypoxic Blackout Prevention, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the condition.
The family said they raised approximately $250,000 for the project. About $60,000 to $70,000 of that funding will go back to the nonprofit to support education efforts focused on underwater hypoxic blackout and the dangers of breath-holding underwater.
Family members believe underwater hypoxic blackout played a role in Virgil's disappearance. The condition occurs when a swimmer or diver loses consciousness underwater because of a lack of oxygen, often with few visible warning signs.
The family's advocacy efforts stem from a desire to prevent other families from experiencing the same tragedy.
"We've been in touch with a lot of the families who have also lost children like Virgil, and we've become kind of a group that is supporting one another and trying to do something and change some of the regulations," Cerasaro said.
In previous interviews with WPTV, Virgil's father, Virgil Price II, also called for additional safety measures within the freediving community, including stronger safeguards and increased awareness about blackout risks.
Despite the heartbreak, family members say Virgil's legacy continues to live on through the people he inspired.
In a previous WPTV interview, Drozda described the way her brother encouraged others.
"He was always more excited to see someone conquer their goals and catch their fish than he was for himself," Drozda said.
For his loved ones, the reef ensures that legacy will continue beneath the waves, creating habitat for marine life while providing a place where family and friends can honor his memory for years to come.
During WPTV's coverage of the family's memorial service in 2024, Cerasaro recalled one of the final conversations she had with her son on Mother's Day morning.
"He goes, 'Mom, I just want you to know something. You are my inspiration in life. You taught me to look at the underside of the leaf. You taught me to look under the water. You taught me how to laugh at myself. You were my inspiration in life, and when I go down in the water, the first thing I do is say a prayer,'" Cerasaro said.
Now, with the reef installed, the family says they have a permanent place to remember the man who loved the ocean more than anything.
When asked what she would say if she could share one more message with her son, Cerasaro fought back tears.
"I love you so much, and I miss you more than you can ever know," Cerasaro said.
Moments later, Drozda shared a message of her own.
"I love you, and I miss you so freaking much," Drozda said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
