Kelly Slater is one of the most celebrated athletes of all time. His unbeatable prompts and commendable style make Slater an outstanding athlete. With a net worth of $25 million, Slater also is financially through and through. But what makes Kelly’s life worth having a look into? Is it the rewards that he received or the recognition that he gained?
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The answer certainly is the story behind Slater’s legendary persona. His roots and his background are what make his life an example for the generations to come. There were many instances when Slater talked about his childhood and the extreme situation he had to face as a kid. A few years back, Slater came forward to share his experience of growing up in poverty and the lack of necessities.
Kelly Slater once struggled for the necessities
Back in 2019, in an interview with Graham Bensinger, Slater revealed the painful time he faced as a kid. The host asked Slater about his household situation as a teenager and the lack of basic things he had while growing up. On this, Slater said, “we didn’t really have winter clothes and stuff”. He further elaborated on this, by saying, “we’d be really extra cold at those times”.
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Slater even mentioned the struggles of his mother to save money and buy oil for heating their home. “My mom just puts enough money off the side to get the oil to heat the house”, added Slater. However, according to Slater, living in Florida made it easier to cope with the cold.
The extreme situations made Slater a responsible man from a very young age. Based on his revelations, Slater worked hard to earn money to buy a house for his family. He was just 17 when he bought a house and a car.
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As per the interview, Slater even expressed his gratitude for his humble upbringing by saying, “I appreciate what I have”.
Slater found a silver lining in the extremities of his childhood
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After his parents got separated, Slater, along with his mother and siblings, moved to Florida. Although they didn’t have enough money to afford necessities, Slater found a silver lining in his circumstances. Moving to Florida brought Slater closer to the ocean, and the big blue waves piqued Slater’s interest. And hence, he started to surf from a very young age. At 20, he bagged his first win as a surfer and became the youngest surfing world champion.
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His passion, zest, and determination took him not only to the peak of the highest wave but also to the bottom of his fans’ hearts. He truly is a champion through and through.
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