Editor’s Note: Surfer Bryan Jennings founded Christian non-profit organization Walking on Water in 1995 to share his stoke and faith with the global surfing community. What started as surf camps has grown into a production company that releases Christian films, including Beyond Sight, the story of Derek Rabelo overcoming his lack of sight by surfing through his faith.
Bryan Jennings (right), with Derek Rabelo and the Blind Surfer’s Pipeline Coach, Magno Passos. Photo: DeMasi Photography
I was blessed to be a professional surfer for many years and I now work in the world of surf films and surf camps. We recently released a movie titled Walking On Water. A few friends and I traveled from California to Brazil to screen the movie when I found out we would have a blind young surfer as one of our special guests. His name is Derek Rabelo.
He invited me to his hometown where I met his parents and they began to tell me his story that starts from humble beginnings, with a young couple dating. As I talked with his parents, details about Derek’s story began to emerge. Derek’s mom and dad seriously considered an abortion because they were so young, but finally decided to take a step of faith and have baby Derek. It caught everyone off-guard when Derek was born blind on May 25th, 1992. By the age of 3, Derek had undergone three surgeries in hopes that his vision would be repaired. But after every surgery, the results came back the same. As Derek grew up, he didn’t need anyone’s help to get around his hometown; he somehow knew where he was by listening and feeling, and his dad’s surf shop was the center of his world.
I listened as Derek talked about growing up on the busy Brazilian boardwalk and how he had to gain a quick sense of his surroundings. The more I heard, the more I was mesmerized by his story. We all know how mean kids can be, and I couldn’t imagine what Derek went through as a child. I realized right then how strong people like Derek who were born blind would have to be. Derek had come to terms with his blindness and he didn’t let it hold him back.
Derek invited me to come watch him tow surf with big wave surfer Carlos Burle. The waves were huge that day and I told Derek not to go out, but he didn’t listen to me.
Derek and Magno out for a surf check. Photo: DeMasi Photography
Instead he reminded me to live by faith and not by sight. I could not believe what I witnessed.
It was time to head home, and on my 14-hour flight back to California, I thought about Derek and his incredible story watching him surf huge waves inspired me — he was literally living by faith and not by sight. I told all of my friends and family about my time in Brazil, and meeting Derek. I knew Derek and his Pipeline surf coach Magno Passos were on a mission to travel back to Pipeline the upcoming winter to get Derek his barrel. So while they waited for winter to arrive, I invited Derek to come to Southern California. I wanted Derek to be our special guest at the Walking On Water surf camp and hopefully to introduce him to professional surfers who could help him on his journey back to Pipeline. What we didn’t know was that this was going to be the beginning of a life-changing journey for the both of us.
Derek did inspire our surf camp and the next day asked to surf with Kelly Slater. I laughed at first, but he was serious. So I reached out to Kelly and God opened the doors, and within 48 hours, we were surfing Lowers Trestles with Kelly Slater. This was the first day of filming the Beyond Sight movie.
It has been almost two years since I met Derek. The Beyond Sight movie is finished and is currently in movie theaters and Billabong and the ASP World Tour have asked us to host the Brazil premiere at the Billabong Rio Pro on May 10th at their contest site. The world tour begins. See you at a showing, my surfing friends!
For trailer and tour dates go to www.beyondsightmovie.com.
