His surfboards have stopped riding the waves, but iconic surfer Mikala Jones continues to ride high in the hearts of millions of surfing enthusiasts. The untimely death of the ace Hawaiian surfer last month silenced the surfing communities across the world. Apart from his surfing skills, Jones also stunned fans with his picturesque photographs. They still fondly remember the pro surfer capturing the astonishing moments inside the breaking waves.
After getting over the initial shock and disbelief, surfing enthusiasts have been pouring in their affection for Mikala Jones. They have been trying to fill in the unmissable void in the surfing world by arranging paddle outs in memory of Jones.
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Celebrating the legacy of Mikala Jones
The man who ruled the waves will be remembered best among the waves. Keeping with this, one more paddle-out event has been arranged, this time at Rocky Rights on Ohau’s North Shore. This is the place where the Jones family grew up. The paddle will take place on Saturday, August 26, at 3 p.m.
“In loving memory of Mikala Jones”, says the Instagram post by Jones Surfboards. It is a surfing accessories portal owned by Jones’ younger brother Daniel. The organizers asked the participants to bring their own leis or flowers as “there will be limited amounts for family and friends”.
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The massive success of the previous paddle-outs underscores the popularity of Mikala Jones not only as a surfer but also as a human being. Close friends of Jones dearly remember him as an inclusive person who had time for everyone. One of Jones’ last social media posts before he passed away, also brought out his attachment to near and dear ones.
Only family apart from surfing
“Time to Live”, wrote Mikala Jones, on Instagram in March. The video post showed him on his surfboards, surrounded by waves. Jones’s love for his family was evident in the post as he went on writing that surfing was all he needed “besides wife and kids”. It was shocking how such a lively journey ended only at the age of 44.
Keala Ashton, Mikala Jones’s nephew, like many, is yet to get over the shock. Ashton was surfing beside Jones on that day in the Mantawai islands. A wave as high as 8 feet ran towards Jones, recalls Ashton. To his disbelief, Ashton saw Jones not being able to withstand it. Basically, the fin of the surfboard fatally tore apart Jones’s femoral artery. He died of profuse blood loss.
The eternality of death has taken away one of the greatest surfers of all time. But Mikala Jones’s fans know that his spirit is still there amid the blues as they hit the waters for one more paddle-out.
Watch This Story: Hawaiian Legend Mikala Jones Passes After Tragic Accident in Indonesia, Surfing World Left Devastated
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Edited by
Purva Jain