Alex was born and raised in Brazil. He has always been surrounded by water, from diving with his father at that very young age, to surfing and all the way through a competitive swimmer career that included representing his country in international competitions.

He attended the University of Alabama for his undergraduate and graduate degrees in business. While at Alabama, Alex was a swimmer during his undergraduate years and during his graduate student years he was a team manager for the University tennis team.

Fast forward a few years, Alex got married to his wife Erica in Key Largo in 2001. After a few years in the business world and the hospitality industry, Alex returned to Key Largo area to join the Rainbow Reef team.