Slater saves Aussie mum and son from deadly surf
Kelly Slater rescued Van, 22 months, from a near-death situation.
Surfing legend Kelly Slater has saved the lives of a Perth woman and her son swept away by a freak wave in Hawaii.
North Beach resident Sarah White and her 22-month-old son, Van, were walking along a footpath at Rockpiles beach on Hawaii’s North Shore when a “tsunami-like” wave swept them up.
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“When the wave hit, there was like 10 foot of whitewash in the air,” Van’s father, Chris White, told 7 News Perth.
“They said there was 20 to 30 seconds where no one could see where either of them were.”
That was when eleven-time World Surf League champion Slater, 41, sprang into action, plucking the infant — strapped into a pram — and Sarah from the tumbling white water.
Slater then drove Sarah and Van home, visiting them the next day to double-check they were okay.
Chris, a photographer, thanked Slater profusely for rescuing his wife and son in an Instagram post on Friday.
Kelly Slater rescued Van, 22 months, from a near-death situation.
“So thankful the surf gods denied @kellyslater today [because] for whatever reason he was right there to save my wife and kid who were swept across a road by a freak wave,” he captioned a photo of a breaking wave.
“Forever grateful to the great man and so thankful my family is alive and safe.”
White concluded his caption with additional thanks for lifeguards, “who saved many lives today.”
A photo posted by Chris White (@chris.whitey) on
A response from Slater’s own Instagram account appeared in that photo’s comments section.
“Thank you!” Slater’s comment reads. “I didn’t look at it that way but for some random reason I stopped there when I normally don’t and happened to be there. Lifeguards were on it either way and had it handled.
“So glad all is well and we can (someday) laugh about it. Van’s first wave was a huge one!”
Hawaii bombarded by massive waves
Hawaii is currently experiencing an abundance of gigantic waves.
Australia’s Dean Morrison has earned a nomination in the wipe out category of the prestigious Big Wave awards after falling on a 50-foot wave at the famed break Jaws, on the island of Maui.
He later posted on his Instagram account: “One of the best things I’ve heard is you gotta enjoy the ride after the ride,” alongside footage of the ride.
Footage of another surfer’s wipeout the same day has since gone viral with commentators labelling it the “craziest wipeout ever captured on film”.
Hawaii’s Tom Dosland became airborne after unsuccessfully navigating the drop on a 12-metre wave.
Australia’s Mark Matthews suffered numerous injuries, including a broken shoulder bone while surfing Jaws late last year.
– with ABC
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