There’s no shortage of times we’ve pointed to Jamie O’Brien’s influence on the modern age of professional surfing. We’ve put a spotlight on him opening doors that previously didn’t exist for athletes — doors that are now a necessity for just about every marketable pro surfer on the planet and a viable opportunity for those who don’t go the World Tour route. But on the other side of (almost) every surfer-turned-vlogger who travels the world is (literally) a person holding the camera. Jackson Lebsack was that man for J.O.B. And Jamie inspired him to become a filmmaker and chase a different dream of his own.
“Growing up, he was one of my biggest inspirations. Not for the surfing but because he’s more than surfing,” Lebsack says.
Lebsack started working with O’Brien officially in 2019. He bought a one-way ticket to Hawaii, moved to the North Shore, and got a crash course in all things Oahu and surfing. Literally. Lebsack admits that surfing was a newfound passion for him at the time, getting his first “Pipeline Tattoo” within a week of moving to the island.
“For me, it was like I was the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, living in the hottest spot in Hollywood,” he says. “I had guys like Kelly Slater, John John Florence, and Kai Lenny in my backyard daily and I pretty much lived with Jamie.”
Outside of landing a job with one of the world’s most influential surfers, Jackson has a pretty inspiring fish-out-of-water story. He grew up around the mountains, not the ocean (but he’s a lifelong kiter). He took a big chance on himself in an entirely different part of the world, and he’s put himself on a big stage at a young age. The move to Hawaii was just one step on his journey as a filmmaker, and it looks like he’s having the time of his life doing it. He now runs a new channel, “Sickos,” while chasing his own adventures. That’s something we can all grab a little inspiration from.
Editor’s Note: Watch more from Jackson Lebsack on YouTube.
