Monday, November 20, 2006

respect

I was going to add it to the following post, but it deserves its own post.
This is unbelievable.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for that, Giampaolo. Very inspirational! I guess I have no excuses for not ripping!

cammar said...

Ely, none of us has.
What a girl!

Anonymous said...

I surfed again yesterday at Ho'okipa with Jeff who has just one arm. He told me he lost his other when he was 27 and had to learn everything again. From New Jersey, he is out on the biggest days at Ho'okipa charging. I can't even imagine how he gets his 9 footer through the sets that I take on the head with my shortboard. The line up atmosphere changes when he's out, everyone has a higher level of respect, for him, the ocean and each other. He is such an inspiration!

Anonymous said...

... and (get this!) the other day Jeff was surfing at lanes, broke his board, swam in. Picked up his other board, went back out, and ended up rescuing a dude who broke his board and could not get in!! superhuman or what!

Anonymous said...

respect and very inspirational!

Anonymous said...

GP your recent blogging has be exceptional....love it! A fantastic story!

Lano

cammar said...

Ok, let me add another hero.
There's a guy called Ted that once in a while surfs Hookipa. First time I saw him he had a full wetsuit and booties and that was already suspicious. Then I saw him catch a wave and he rode it belley down without standing up.
"Oh my god", I said when I understood.
I paddled towards him and ask him:
"Excuse me, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure", he said.
"You can't move your legs, can you?"
He couldn't. He fell off a tree when he was 15.
I told him he was my hero and I paddled away because I was starting to cry.
Some friends helped him to get in the water. Can you imagine the feeling of freedom he must feel when he starts paddling? No more need of a wheelchair, no more need of somebody, finally he's on his own again...

These guys rule.

Anonymous said...

Giampaolo, this footage brought tears to my eyes. Her courage (housed in the shape of a young, beautiful girl) is truly inspirational. I won't forget this.

I can't remember his name, but one windsurfer at Sprecks sailed and even pulled off an occasional jibe with one artificial leg. Mystery Bob