![John John Florence surfing in the barrel](https://www.theinertia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/john-1-670x388.jpg?x34919)
John John Florence grew up in the tube. Photo: Screenshot//YouTube
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John John Florence has been front and center in the surfing world for most of his life. Now, with two world titles under his belt, he’s about to step onto the biggest stage in sports: the Olympics. The Florence team put together the short clip you see here showing Hawaii’s support, and it’s a good reminder that, as the clip says, “no man is an island.”
The surfing community in Hawaii is a tight one, and John likely wouldn’t be where he is today if he grew up somewhere in, say, the Midwest. But since “Mom John” decided that she’d like to raise her kids with the sound of the ocean booming in their ears at night, the tow-headed boy grew up to have a world title for each John in his name.
Featuring a whole pile of people in Hawaii famous in surfing and famous far outside of surfing, the short clip is an inspiring one that not only shows John’s progression through the years, but the passion within those who support him as he heads to Tahiti to compete for a Gold Medal.