if you live in hawaii, you’ve probably heard about the 2 free divers that got run over by a boat while free diving the other day. both getting hit by the boat and propeller. one man died while his stepson went to the hospital. accidents like this hit me very hard. i’m a free diver and i had my fair share of almost getting ran over by boats. it’s scary, even scarier than getting attacked by a shark. it’s like the worst nightmare for free divers. after hearing the news, i was thinking about my life. yes, it could have been me. i was lying in bed thinking about it and trying to sleep when i got a text from my friend. he texted me “it was Sri.” omg, my heart stopped and i was in total shock. it was our friend. a great surfer, a great diver, a great family man, and one of the nicest people you will ever meet. at that moment, my feelings change. now it’s not just a free diver, it was a great man that we all knew. Sri was one of the old time locals at Bowls. i surfed with him many many times and we had our friendly conversations about surfing and diving. mostly stories about diving as it was his passion. i will never forget this wonderful man filled with aloha spirit.
hey Sri, thank you for sharing the greatest waves and greatest stories with me. ever since the first time i met you, i respected you very much. and i know i’m not the only person who’s life you touched. everybody loved you man. on my way out to bowls yesterday, i seen your 2 beautiful daughters on the beach. they were paying tribute to you man. they wanted to feel your spirit at the surf spot you loved most, ala moana bowls. i haven’t met your daughters in my life, but i just walked up to them and gave them both big hugs. yes man, we were all crying. crying because we will miss you. one of your daughters whispered to me, “go out and surf for Sri.” and that’s just what i did. thank you my friend for your smiles. i love you man, and bowls won’t be the same without you.
