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Todd Chesser was one of the most influential stars of the surfing community. The Momentum star actor was an inspiration for the entire generation of aspiring surfers. While his exceptional skills earned him the name and fame, unfortunately, the big wave surfer passed away in 1997 just three days before his 29th birthday. It has been 26 years since the death tragedy of the young man rocked the surfing fraternity.

February 13 marked the 26th death anniversary of the entertaining surfer. The 11-time WSL Champion Kelly Slater remembered the exceptional talent on his death anniversary. More than a colleague, Chesser was Slater’s dear friend.

Kelly Slater remembers his long-lost friend

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Slater posted a story on his Instagram account remembering the legend. The picture shows the two images of the Tod Chesser with “Legends Live Forever” written on them. Even after more than two decades, the legacy of the Momentum star is still intact. “26 years ago. Long live #ToddChesser,” Slater wrote in memory of Chesser. 

Kelly Slater and Todd Chesser both hail from the city of Florida and dominated the sport at that time. As reported by Surfer Today, Slater once wrote in his notes about his long-lost friend. “Todd was a true, one-of-a-kind human and friend. We are all left with an irreplaceable void but so many fun times“, Slater wrote. 

Read More: “Those Waves Are Bloody Huge”: Surfing Star’s Close Brush With Wipeout in Heart-Pounding Footage Leaves Fans in State of Shock

To honor the champion, the Volcom Pipe Pro presents the Hard Charger Award in memory of Todd Chesser. The award was introduced to acknowledge the great influence of the big wave surfer. 

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Even the 11-time champion was in awe of his capabilities. Kelly Slater perfectly described the talent and skills possessed by riding huge waves. He said, “If you had a chance to meet Todd or watch him surf giant Off-The-Wall by himself or paddle out solo to an outer reef, you know what kind of guy he was”. 

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Watch This Story: A huge shock for surfing fans before vans pipeline from Kelly Slater and John John Florence 

The entire surfing community was stunned when the news of Chesser’s drowning accident came up in 1997. Chesser got caught in a massive 25-foot wave and lost his life. The demise of the big wave surfer was a great loss for the entire community and fans still miss his presence in the waves.