“There was actually three more waves that he got on the head, and he was underneath water. In that moment, things happened so quick, but when we saw his body floating there, we thought we got to get to him as fast as possible.” –Honolulu Ocean Safety Lifeguard, Ian Bachmann
The current #4 surfer in world ranking, 23-year-old Brazilian João Chianca, is healing up in the hospital after getting knocked unconscious Sunday on Hawaii’s North Shore. Chianca was surfing at Pipeline when he wiped out and lost conscious.
Hawaii News Now reports he was held underwater for several minutes before resurfacing. Fellow surfers and lifeguards rushed to his aid, got him to shore and he was taken to a local hospital. Chianca is reportedly in stable condition.
Surfer Kala Grace witnessed the scene and was shaken up. He had been in a similar situation in last January:
“It was gnarly; I walked straight up, took my leash off, and I was done surfing. I saw him laying there completely purple out cold and all the lifeguards around, and all I could see lying on the board was just me because that was just me in January.”
Like Chianca, Kala Grace was also saved thanks to the brave and skilled lifeguards that patrol the beaches of Hawaii:
“They are the best in the world. They saved Joel like yesterday; they saved mine in January. They are scanning the water all day long they are.”
Wishing João a speedy convalescence and heartfelt thanks to the lifeguards that saved him and to the lifeguards around the world that keep us safe.