MY INJURY MAP
A TOUR OF MY WOUNDS: ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, IT’S NOT TOO BAD.
Again, at Pipeline. I was windsurfing in Kona winds. When you smack the water a certain way, your eardrum ruptures
Lots of cuts. I’m the Cut King.
Boxer’s fractures
I’ve broken my little fingers on both hands multiple times.
Ninety percent of my surfing injuries are on my left side because I’m a regular foot, meaning I lead with my left foot.
Broken and misplaced ribs
I’ve broken ribs numerous times. And I once blew a rib off my spine cliff jumping.
I’ve had a ton of stitches. At about 1,000, I stopped counting
Surfboard to the femur
I got this cross-shaped scar on Christmas Day. This girl’s surfboard speared my quad right down to the femur and bruised the bone. It took 3 months to heal. Basically, it was like someone took a pickax to my thigh.
Numerous punctures from surfboards.
There are some good ones on the insides of my thighs.
134 stitches in forehead I was speared
in the head by a surfboard at Pipeline when I was 14—134 stitches in my frontal lobe.
Surfboard through the cheek
I got a surfboard through my face in February 2007. The inside of my mouth was all exploded. It was like a 14-foot, 60-pound spear gun right behind my teeth, through the gums. If it had hit me in the temple, it would’ve been game over; see you in the next life.
First-degree shoulder separation
I separated my shoulder windsurfing at Hookipa. I did a flyaway kickout of a wave and landed on my board.
Chipped elbows
I’ve chipped both elbows falling and landing on things.
Herniated disk; crushed vertebrae
A Jet Ski landed on my back. I was surfing outside Hanalei Bay in Kauai with Nelly towing, and he got caught in the lip of a wave. I looked up and saw him coming, so I bent over, but it was basically a pile drive. It just plunged me into the water. There was a big dent in my back.
Skilsaw through the thigh
This happened in Kauai. I was cutting a board and as I finished, a piece of wood fell and hit my arm, which made the saw hit my leg. It cut through the top of my thigh, but it missed the fascia. The muscle was still intact, but it took 66 stitches to close it. I drove myself to the hospital
Torn and reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
I blew out this knee twice. The first time was at Teahupoo. It was a freak accident. I flew out of a wave, and there was a boat right in front of me. I landed sideways, and my knee buckled. Then I blew it out again at Pe’ahi. I didn’t have to have the operation, but I wanted it to be as strong as it could possibly be. This was the first surgery I’ve had and the first metal I’ve had in my body—a couple of tiny titanium screws. It’s good. Doesn’t give me any trouble.
Crushed top of foot
I dropped a 100-pound bench on my foot last fall. It broke a toe and dislocated the rest. I couldn’t walk for 3 days. I think I’m going to need a pin or something in there.
Broken toes
I’ve broken every toe numerous times, except for my big toes. Many of my toenails haven’t grown back. I’ve also sliced a toe in half.
Broken arches
My feet are just hammered. I’ve broken the arches a bunch of times. I’m not sure how many.
Broken ankle six times
My left ankle is my Achilles’ heel. But amazingly, it still works just fine.