Body of hero high school graduate, 18, who saved two of his female friends from drowning at the Jersey Shore is pulled from the water after 24-hour search

A New York high school graduate has been hailed as a hero after he tragically died saving two friends who came into difficulties while swimming off the shore of a New Jersey beach.

Jalan Alston, 18, went missing on Friday evening after going into the water at Ventour Beach to help Jayda Smith and Sierra Williams who had been swept up by a rip current, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Alston managed to push the two teens toward the shoreline but was unable to make it out of the water himself, the Coast Guard said. He disappeared beneath the surface swell moments after.

The US Coast Guard were called at 7:00pm and conducted a 12 hours search for the 18-year-old, covering over 58-miles. 

His body was recovered 24 hours later at around 6:20pm on Saturday near Albany Avenue beach after being spotted by two swimmers in the area.

'He made the ultimate sacrifice,' Alston's brother Mark told NJ.com. 'He is truly selfless and has always been that way — he's type of person that will try to do anything you ask of him of him and he would always come through.'

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Jalan Alston, 18, went missing on Friday after going into the water at Ventour Beach to help two friends who had come into difficulties in the water off the coast of the Jersey Shore

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Jayda Smith and Sierra Williams were swept up in a rip current on Saturday evening. They've both credited Alston's heroics for saving their lives

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The US Coast Guard conducted a 12 hours search for the 18-year-old for more, covering over 58-miles

Alston recently graduated from George Westinghouse High School in Brooklyn, New York, where he was a star athlete in track and field. He had plans to become an engineer and planned to take the civil service exam in the fall.

Mark Alston told USA Today his brother and his two friends were all in the water when the rough conditions caused from the recent Tropical Storm Fay occurred. 

The teen had been close to the beach when the two girls came into difficulty and could have run and called for help. But instead, true to his brother's 'selfless' nature, Alston went deeper into the swell to save the lives of his friends, Mark said.

'He's not here because he wanted to save people,' the grieving brother said. 'I will always remember him as my little brother who saved two people.'

A GoFundMe page has been set up by Jayda Smith to help Alston's family cover the cost of his funeral.

Smith she met Alston through online gaming last year and Friday was the first day she'd actually met him in person.

'Jalan Alston saved both me and Sierra's lives from the rip current off the Jersey shore,' Smith wrote. 'He selflessly and almost instinctively jumped into the current after me, pushed me out and got me to shore. He then tried to get back to the shore with Sierra's help, but to no prevail.

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Alston recently graduated from George Westinghouse High School in Brooklyn, New York, where he was a star athlete in track and field 

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His body was eventually recovered at about 6:20pm on Saturday near Albany Avenue beach after being spotted by two swimmers in the area

Alston recently graduated from George Westinghouse High School in Brooklyn, New York, where he was a star athlete in track and field. He had plans to become an engineer and planned to take the civil service exam in the fall.

'He understood what was happening, grabbed her wrist and shook his head, then with a push sent her to the shore with me using his last bit of strength he had. It's because of him that I am here, sharing his story to the world.'

Alston's two friends made it safely back to shore. One of them then called 911, and the Coast Guard launched an intensive search for Alston that lasted for several hours.

The agencies searched 58 square miles over air, sea and land for about 13 hours before suspending the search.

His body was recovered almost 24 hours later on Saturday by Atlantic City Beach Patrol.

'Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Jalan,' said Capt. Jonathan Theel, commander of Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay. 'It's always difficult to suspend a case, and it weighs especially heavy on our hearts knowing that he was helping others.'

Smith said Jalan had 'such a beautiful soul and spirit, heart and mind,' and noted that because he 'gave me a second chance' she would be using it 'to make his life, his legacy memorable, starting here.'

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Smith she met Alston through online gaming last year and Friday was the first day she'd actually met him in person

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In her own tribute to Alston, Williams wrote: 'Jalan, you were a hero that night. You saved your friends knowing you weren't making it out of the water that night. And I have no words to be able to thank you

In a lengthy post about the ordeal posted to her mother's Facebook page, Smith revealed that months ago she had revealed to Alston that drowning is her biggest fear.

'He did everything he could to make sure that wouldn't happen to me,' she said. 'Everyone across the country needs to know who he is, and how dangerous these currents are. We didn't know how bad they were until it was too late.'

In her own tribute to Alston, Williams wrote: 'Jalan, you were a hero that night. You saved your friends knowing you weren't making it out of the water that night. And I have no words to be able to thank you.

'Your bravery and selflessness was unbelievable. I still can't wrap my head around the whys and the what's and the how's because I can't even begin to believe your gone [sic]. That I won't hear your laugh or your voice again. My heart breaks for your parents and family. And for Jayda, who I know you loved with all your heart.'