46°
Austin Gibbons, a 25-year-old man from Long Beach, spent Monday, Feb. 5 surfing at Hawaii’s Banzai Pipeline, as he might on any day.
However, as he went to take his last wave of the day, the unthinkable happened.
“He was held under by the brute force of two waves of whitewater, which unforgivingly filled his lungs with seawater,” wrote Traci Johnson Kilduff, who set up a GoFundMe for Austin and his family.
Fellow surfers and lifeguards rushed to aid Austin, reviving him with CPR before he was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition, where he was placed in a medically induced coma.
Kilduff wrote that Austin’s mother, Christine, took an emergency flight to be by her son’s side — “Her love, strength, and perseverance during this time is a testament to the ‘Fight for Life’ that her son is enduring,” she said.
While less than a week later, Austin was taken off life support, his road to recovery still stretches ahead.
Kilduff implored the community to help raise money to cover his mounting medical and lodging bills as he continues his recovery.
In just three days, over 1,000 people have donated a combined over $115,000 towards Austin’s recovery, many leaving their wishes for a speedy recovery.
“Keep fighting Austin!” one wrote, with another saying, “He’s a tough & humble kid…Can’t wait to see his comeback!!”
To view the GoFundMe, click here.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Suffolk and receive free news updates.
