Laird Hamilton is a renowned American big-wave surfer. Apart from being a professional surfer, he is also a model and an actor.
Hamilton holds the record for the heaviest wave ever ridden. He achieved that in August 2000 in Teahupoo. He is also credited with co-inventing the tow-in-surfing. Throughout his career, while practicing different techniques, he has suffered from several injuries.
Hamilton continued to surf even with an injury
Hamilton was dedicated to surfing. But some might call it addiction or obsession. It went to the point where he would surf despite getting injured. He would continue to finish his wave, even if he had broken his ankle or collarbone.
In an interview with Graham Bensinger in 2018, Laird narrated one such incident. He explained in detail the incident which gave him a hole in his cheek. He said, “I got speared in the face from a board that I had built for riding jaws, for doing the stand-up paddling at jaws, which is where you stand at the board while paddling.”
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He added, “You paddle and catch the waves, but I was out on an extremely windy day on Maui and the board flew and speared me right through my checks behind my teeth, below my temple.” He recalled how he jokingly told someone that he wasn’t able to breathe because the air was passing through the hole. Hamilton laughed it off, saying, “But I had a nice hole you know right through my face.”
Injuries that Laird Hamilton suffered
Laird is at a point in his life where he himself has lost count of the number of serious injuries he has suffered over the years. Hamilton began surfing at the age of 3. Over the years, riding some of the heaviest and deadliest waves has given him countless injuries.
Apart from the hole in the cheek, Hamilton has had a broken collarbone, slip toe, and seven or eight broken ankles. Adding to this list are the ECLs, separated ribs, slip disk, slipped vertebrae, broken hand, broken fingers, and AEC separation on the shoulders. These are the injuries that the surfer could recall.
Undoubtedly, there were many more that could be added to the list. Fortunately, there have been no lasting after-effects from his injuries that could hamper his day-to-day life.
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It’s truly surprising how the star is still surfing the biggest waves. What do you think of Hamilton’s skills? Let us know in the comments.
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