“Hard to Imagine a Surfing World Without Larry”: Kelly Slater Pens Down Heartfelt Message for Dear Friend

Legendary surfer Kelly Slater has recently expressed his grief over the loss of someone very close to him. The 50-year-old champion of 11X World Surf Leagues talked about his dear friend, who has been a constant presence in the lives of every surfer, including his. Slater writes about his immense contribution to the sport of surfing in general, and the overall positivity he always brought along with him.

After the recent demise of his dear friend, Kelly Slater poured his heart out in his tribute to him. He joined the surfing world at large, and his other near-and-dear people, to pay respects.

Kelly Slater is heartbroken after losing a close, supportive friend.

Kelly Slater wrote on his Instagram story, “Some horrible news tonight that our dear friend and legendary Filmer @fluid_vision (Larry Haynes) has sadly passed. This man is a staple in our lives, traveling the globe and filming everyone who’s ever caught a wave in front of him. It’s hard to imagine a surfing world without Larry in it always screaming us into waves and throwing good vibes. Gonna really miss this guy”. He attached a picture of Haynes with his mouth wide open as if he is screaming out of shock or terror.

Larry Haynes was a water cinematographer who mostly filmed surfing videos by following surfers, sometimes to the world’s end. He died of a suspected heart attack while crossing the road to surf in Oahu’s North Shores. Tributes, including Slater’s, have been pouring in from every corner of the surfing world.

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Slater, in his more than 30-year-long career, always had a penchant for showing empathy toward his friends, fellow surfers, and anyone involved with the high-risk sport. He has expressed his concerns about injuries in water, on more than one occasion.

Kelly Slater is concerned for anyone risking their lives in the water

In the recent Da Hui Backdoor shootout, after Kala Grace, a well-known surfer from Oahu suffered a freak injury, Kelly Slater sent a heartfelt message to her. The injury left her unconscious and she was only saved in time by lifeguards.

Just a few days before that, when a ship clashed with a turbine, causing a horrific accident mid-ocean, Slater expressed his concerns out of fear for any lives injured or lost. The company Fluid Visions, and its main man Rob Giller of Surfer Magazine, also joined Slater in posting a long and loving tribute to Haynes. Kai Lenny was another surfer to pay respect to him.

Despite the high risk of surfing, Slater, at his age, is nowhere close to hanging up his boots for good. In fact, he just won the Billabong Pro Pipeline in Oahu in 2022. He might just pull off more magical feats in the upcoming years.

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