To lose your everyday life of surfing and being creative on waves, enjoying the ocean – that’s scary to me. It was essential to at least try surfing again and get out there and see how it went.
I wouldn’t change what happened to me because then I wouldn’t have this chance, in front of all of you, to embrace more people than I ever could have with two arms.
I’m a surfer at heart. Both my parents moved to Hawaii in the 1970s, where they met and became Christians. Then they taught me and my two brothers how to love the Lord – and how to surf!
I think passion is something that’s more powerful than even love. It’s something that you’re not willing to let go of, and you’ll work really hard to make sure that stays a part of your life.
I think it doesn’t matter if you are the best surfer in the world. I’m going to try to be the best surfer I can be. It’s not all about competing and being the best. It’s more about having fun and just doing what you love.
Doing everything with one arm, being well-known, and having a book and a movie, it’s fairly abnormal. As far as just not having to worry about past experiences, I’ve healed very well.
