An Update On Kala Grace’s Condition From @WaikikiBeachBoys (AKA Dad)

Yesterday, Kala Grace sustained a really scary head injury on Final’s day of the Backdoor Shootout that left him unconscious and requiring a resuscitation on the sand. 

The event was temporarily put on hold, and the ambience became ‘somber’ as commentator Dr Isaiah Walker put it. After pulling into a Pipe closeout, Kala emerged unscathed and paddled towards the channel. It was duckdiving the subsequent set that his head was pushed into the reef, removing the helmet from his head and leaving him unconscious in the water with a gash above his right eye.

Were it not for the quick-thinking of Noland Kealuana (who abandoned his jetski to keep his head above water) and the rest of the North Shore lifeguards team, it could have easily been the first fatality sustained at Pipe in competition. 

Today, the Waikiki Beach Boys gave us an update on his condition, that loved one and surf fans have been patiently awaiting.

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“UPDATE for KALA, He is still in ICU & hooked up to air, recovering from that knock out from Mike Tyson. It’s Monday 12:30, I just got back from Queens Hospital cuz they only let two people into the hospital for the day. Mom and his Gf – Taaatts are on the list for Today. He’s all hooked up to the machines and Air but they say maybe another day or two then they’re going to take him off the oxygen. Right now he cannot speak so he’s writing stuff down but he can hear everything and will write stuff down on paper. There’s been a lot of people sending out prayers towards him. Thank you everyone for looking out for him again & to all the guys on the North Shore that helped out thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. Kala will be back and stronger. I also want to thank Isaiah Moniz for holding it down outside at Queens Hospital with all the supporters and friends that are hanging out.”

According to lifeguard Chris Owens’ post on Instagram, who had spoken to Kala’s stepfather “the first thing he wrote to him and his Mom Maryanne was: Did I win?”

An intact sense of humor is hopeful.

We’ll keep you posted on his condition as new information becomes available. Makua Rothman, who was also injured yesterday, likely escaped with a torn ACL.