This weekend saw the Da Hui Backdoor Shootout get the green light, and as is always the case with that particular event, the waves were spectacular. Spectacular waves at Pipeline, however, are dangerous ones. And that danger was on full display, especially with Kala Grace, who nearly died following a scary wipeout.
Kala, a Pipe specialist who called the Shootout conditions “some of the best pipe I’ve ever surfed in my life,” wiped out on a wave, then popped up and took two more on the head. The helmet he was wearing popped off at some point, and he was knocked out.
Water patrol was on full alert, and a Jet Ski located him fairly quickly. A water patrolman entered the water, but Grace was pulled a few feet out of his reach. When the ski pilot realized Grace was unconscious, he leapt off to get Grace’s head out of the water.
“When you see the operator jump off the ski to go get him,” the announcer said, “you know it’s super serious… you hardly ever see water patrol just leave a Jet Ski like that.”
The ski was washed into the beach and another came in to take Grace and his rescuers to shore, where they immediately began CPR on the unconscious 24-year-old. According to reports, Grace wasn’t breathing when he reached the beach, but CPR efforts were successful and he was taken to the ICU at Queen’s Medical Center.
According to a crowdfunding campaign for Grace’s hospital bills, Grace’s lungs filled with water when he was unconscious. He also suffered three deep lacerations to his face, one of which just missed his optic nerve.
Thankfully, once he was admitted to the ICU, scans showed no sign of brain injuries. He was, however, intubated due to the damage to his lungs.
“For the next 24 hours, it was a fear of when he would wake and be able to breathe on his own,” the creators of the crowdfunding campaign wrote. “Thankfully, he is extremely strong and a very big-hearted, healthy young man. He waved a nurse down to start writing and communicating to nurses and doctors. We were beyond happy to hear that he woke and was alert overnight.”
By the next day, January 16, Grace was writing notes to his mother and girlfriend, although he was still on a breathing machine, but would soon be off it and breathing on his own. As of this writing, the tube is out, but he’s still facing several more days in the hospital.
“The next steps will be hard, as he will have to rest and recover,” the campaign continued. “We are still concerned about lung and respiratory infection, due to the sand and water inevitably in there. His family will be by his side every step of the way. We appreciate all of the love, prayers, positive vibes and outpouring amounts of help being offered. As he gets better, we will utilize this account to also update everyone on his condition.”
Best wishes to Kala on a speedy recovery.
Donate to Kala’s Gofundme here.
