Surfing Helped Former World Champion Grieve Following Devastating Tragedy in 2006: “My Fire Was Gone”

Shaun Tomson is an honored name in the surfing community, and one of the best pipeline surfers in the world. His marvelous contribution to the surfing world with his unique surfing skills and entrepreneurial mindset is what set him aside. The 67-year-old legend has been an inspiration to surfers all over the world. However, there was a brief amount of time when he even lost the spark towards the delightful sport.

The South African maestro recently appeared in an episode of Men’s Journal Everyday Warrior Podcast. In the interview, Tomson talked about his incredible journey in surfing, and how once it helped him get out of the darkest phase of his life.

Surfing led to the re-birth of Tomson 

There are some low moments in life which make us feel there is no coming back from them. Shaun Tomson had a similar situation when a terrible incident happened to him in 2006. Tomson lost his 15-year-old son, Matthew, in an unfortunate incident while playing “The Choking Game”, a schoolboy prank where kids lose oxygen for a brief time. Evidently, one of the hardest things for any parent to go through, it broke Tomson’s will to do anything. 

As he talked with Men’s Journal, Tomson recalled his situation after his son’s death. The whole family was devastated and nothing felt worth trying anymore to Tomson. Even his biggest inspiration, the ocean, which brought him peace throughout his life, didn’t make him feel the spark that he used to. He described, “After losing Matthew, my fire was gone.”

Although he ignored the ocean for many months, in the end, he eventually dropped his armor when one of his friends convinced him to surf. And that was it. It was once again the moment that turned Tomson’s life like it did when his father first took him to teach him surfing. It might be his memories with his dad, son, or even the ocean itself, that he felt the pertinence of being alive. 

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As Men’s Journal reported, “As he paddled out, the waves washed away his tears, and he sensed his son’s presence. Catching the first wave brought him a sense of renewal and connection, and surfing became a powerful tool that helped him grieve.” 

Tomson once again got a refreshed vision for his life. Like he found a purpose to take his life forward. In the memory and honor of his son, and as his renewed purpose, Tomson wrote a book, The Surfer and the Sage: A Guide to Survive & Ride Life’s Waves. Tomson said, “This book turned into a way to honor my son’s life and find a new path forward.”

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Indeed, the pain of that loss is unimaginable. However, life provides people with such terrifying incidents that they have to re-discover their worth. And that is exactly what Tomson did. He found hope once again in surfing and found his way toward positivity.