RIP AI

The surfing world was turned upside down yesterday as news spread through the community that Andy Irons had passed away. Three time WCT Champion, legend free surfer, father, he left behind a child, his pregnant wife, brother Bruce, and fellow world tour surfers. He had contracted Dungue Fever from a mosquito bite he got while in Puerto Rico for the Rip Curl Pro Search event. He missed his first two heats and withdrew from the competition. On his way home to Hawaii, he felt too sick to get on his connecting flight in Dallas that he got a hotel room for the night, and was found by a maid in the room the next morning. Unfortunately, it has turned into a possible drug overdose, methadone, sleeping meds, and other prescription meds were found next to his bed. At the time of his death, he was ranked 16th in the world, and had just recently won the Billabong Pro in Tahiti. I can't remember the last time a cried but I shed some tears last night reading memoirs by some of his fellow Pro Tour surfers. Truly tragic.

A look at Andy as he was the past 2 years in and out of the pro circuit.