![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1248035182.jpg?width=600)
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PENICHE, LEIRIA, PORTUGAL – MARCH 11: Eleven-time WSL Champion Kelly Slater of the United States prior to surfing in Heat 1 of the Opening Round at the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal on March 11, 2023 at Peniche, Leiria, Portugal. (Photo by Thiago Diz/World Surf League via Getty Images)
![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/GettyImages-1248035182.jpg?width=600)
via Getty
PENICHE, LEIRIA, PORTUGAL – MARCH 11: Eleven-time WSL Champion Kelly Slater of the United States prior to surfing in Heat 1 of the Opening Round at the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal on March 11, 2023 at Peniche, Leiria, Portugal. (Photo by Thiago Diz/World Surf League via Getty Images)
Yesterday, a video was posted on YouTube by Surfline that gained much attention, the conversation revolved about Kelly Slater’s personal life. He said, “I’m trying to unwind myself with my own daughter who’s now 27 and married.” This was similar to another video of his interview with Graham Bensinger from Jun 17, 2016, titled, ‘Kelly Slater: Tough to be there for daughter,’ where he expressed, “I think probably the hardest part for me is my daughter feeling like she doesn’t have a dad there all the time.”
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Back then it was more of “guilt,” as he explained, “People have kids and then their career kind of stops or gets put on hold and you know…I think in that sense I probably have a little bit of guilt about that.” Though, Taylor’s mother, Tamara Mitchell, was a major influence on her upbringing during Kelly’s absence and mostly away from the limelight.
Kelly acknowledges the importance of having both parents in a child’s life and has candidly expressed his regret for his absence. However, despite these early difficulties, a strong father-daughter relationship has grown between them, something Slater isn’t looking to repeat with his baby.
Surfing great shares the good news!
The 11X world champion has been dating Kalani Miller for sixteen years. On March 19, 2024, the pair shared their pregnancy on Instagram walking barefoot along the beach shore to Ben Harper’s “
The Three of Us” as Slater held her belly. This is their first baby together while Slater will become a father after 28 years.It wasn’t an easy journey for Kelly Slater since his mother took care of Slater and his two younger siblings. She did everything in her power to support Slater after his parents divorced due to his father’s drinking habit. As he enters the new chapter of his life, Slater has had a lot of support from the surfing community to approach fatherhood with gentleness and compassion.ADVERTISEMENT
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Watch this story It takes a toll on you The Surfing GOAT Kelly Slater Dazzles HisFan With the Trailer of His Upcoming Show
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