Legendary Kelly Slater Spares $5,000 on Broken Surfboard to Help Local Surfer With Much-Needed Money

Kelly Slater has been riding waves and racking up accolades since the 90s, but his story isn’t just about trophies and perfect barrels. Oh no, Kelly’s got a soft spot for the surf and the shores that shaped his legendary career. Remember his crusade for Uluwatu, Bali, last year? The guy wasn’t against progress—he’s not living in a time capsule—but when development started threatening those iconic limestone cliffs, Kelly grabbed his megaphone (metaphorically) and made some noise. It’s no surprise!

Kelly Slater’s a big believer in sustainable living and a passionate advocate for ocean conservation. He’s not just about protecting waves either; he’s raised his voice for suicide prevention awareness and earned a nod from the U.S. House of Representatives back in 2010 for his unmatched surfing achievements and role model status. And now Slater’s back at it again, taking a stand for another surf spot and its local community. Clearly, saving waves and keeping surfing soulful is as much a part of his legacy as those 11 World Surf League champion titles.

Kelly Slater embraces another noble job

Away from the internet buzz, Albee Layer has a grounded identity as a proud advocate for Hawaii’s surfing culture. He’s not just riding waves; he’s making them, often stepping up to shine a spotlight on the local surf scene. On January 6, the 33-year-old did just that, sharing a carousel of snapshots on Instagram with a teasing caption: “Stoked this worked!” Naturally, that kind of mystery stirs up some curiosity, right?

Well, here’s the scoop: Layer’s post spilled the details about Kelly Slater snagging a winning bid in an auction hosted by Layer himself. The 11-time WSL champion shelled out a cool $5,000 for it. But what did Slater actually win, and how will this cash fuel the local surfing community?

On December 30 last year, Albee Layer put a half surfing board and a picture of its last action on an informal auction on Instagram. In that post, the Internet personality made a promise. In the caption, he revealed, “I will be giving all the money to a handful of the local water safety crew here. Most of us do our best to pay water safety but it doesn’t come close to what they deserve. I want to get them a little holiday bonus for how hard they all crushed during this insane run.”

Albee Layer didn’t just stop at celebrating Hawaii’s surf culture; he also shone a spotlight on the often-overlooked struggles of water safety crews. Their job isn’t just about sitting on a jet ski and watching the waves. They face towering swells, unpredictable currents, and life-threatening conditions daily, all to ensure surfers can do what they love without paying the ultimate price. Albee wanted to give back, at least for one day, and Kelly Slater stepped up to help, putting in the highest bid in Layer’s auction. The gesture left Albee over the moon, and he vowed to “hopefully stoke out as many people as possible as quick as possible.” But it isn’t the only time the 52-year-old tried to bring a change. He has a few more examples of such. 

Away from the surf, the legend still carves his legacy where it truly counts

Kelly Slater has always supported the need for equal rights in surfing. With over three decades in the sport, he knows exactly what’s going on. That’s why he’s never been shy about pointing out the issues in surfing, whether it’s in the infrastructure or the authority itself. How? By speaking up and taking action.

One person who knows this struggle firsthand is Pauline Menczer. A respected name in surfing, Menczer came from a humble background and fought hard to represent her gender in a male-dominated sport. Her journey to the top wasn’t easy. With barriers like gender disparity and a lack of financial support, she often found herself questioning her future in surfing.

Last year, Pauline Menczer poured her heart into a memoir, bravely exposing the struggles and injustices she faced in the sport. Kelly Slater didn’t just applaud from the sidelines—he joined her cause. Sharing the book’s cover on his Instagram story, Slater captioned it, “Pauline Menczer, thanks for the book and congrats! Pauline has got a heart of gold.” He praised her grit, calling her the “underdog world champion” who fought tirelessly for the women’s surf tour.

But Kelly didn’t stop there. He later pushed for para surfing to be included in the official sports lineup for LA 2028, once again proving he’s not just a legend on the waves but a champion for his surfing community. Isn’t that the kind of leadership the sport deserves?