Local salsa dancer drowned in Lake Mead over Father’s Day weekend

A local salsa dancer died Monday after drowning at Lake Mead’s Boulder Beach, according to the Clark County Coroner’s Office.

Cristina Alvarado-Menendez was one of six people that the Lake Mead National Recreation Area said died at the lake over Father’s Day weekend. Two were the result of drowning.

Steve Alvarado, 34, said he was enjoying a Father’s Day lunch Sunday in Las Vegas with his pregnant wife and daughter when his mom wished him a happy Father’s Day and told him she was going to Lake Mead with her German Shepherd, Nala, and a friend.

He told her to be careful, and she texted back she would and “I love you too.” He expected to see her that night.

When Alvarado got back from lunch, he took a nap. When he woke up that evening and hadn’t heard from his mom, he sent her a message. He later saw a Facebook message from her friend asking him to call about what occurred at the lake.

Witnesses found his mom found face down near Boulder Beach, Alvarado told the Review-Journal Tuesday.

Alvarado said his mother’s friend said he was asleep when he woke up to screams and realized it was Alvarado-Menendez. Her son was also told that witnesses heard Nala barking for her in the water.

When he drove to Valley Hospital Medical Center that night, he said he got a call from the doctor that his mother was not breathing for roughly 20-40 minutes.

Early Monday morning he told his mother a final goodbye before she died.

Lake Mead leadership urged the public to stay safe and be considerate when visiting the park, according to a press release.

Loss to the salsa community

Alvarado said his mother loved to dance. “Salsa most importantly,” he said.

He remembered Alvarado-Menendez as an active and strong single mother who immigrated from El Salvador who was well known for her love for salsa dancing in her community.

A GoFundMe account for Alvarado-Menendez was created on Monday night by Victor Madu, a realtor who also hosts a monthly Latin dance social called Latin Blendz.

“We as the salsa community are going to miss her,” Madu told the Review-Journal on Tuesday.

The GoFundMe asked for donations to help pay for Alvarado-Menendez’s medical bills. As of Wednesday morning, the fundraiser was just $1,500 shy of its $20,000 goal.

Contact Jimmy Romo at jromo@reviewjournal.com or call 702-383-0350. Follow @jimi_writes on Twitter.