Eimeo Czermak Needs Help After His Pipe Wipeout
Had insurance, still slapped with $55K bill.
“Right now I’m feeling much better, but for a week and a half I couldn’t move my legs. Now it’s just my concussion that is still pretty bad. Constant brain fog, depression, trouble with lights,” Eimeo Czermak tells me over the phone.
On the final day of the Vans Pipe Masters, the 20-year-old French Polynesian fell on a takeoff with 40 seconds remaining in his heat against the Florence brothers.
“I fell on the left side of my face, hit the water and blacked out. I don’t really remember what happened next, but I think I got tossed on the bottom, like a scorpion”.
Eimeo walked up the beach under his own steam, but looked disheveled.
“I didn’t tell the water patrol I was hurt. It wasn’t until we got to the tent and they put the neck brace on that the adrenaline wore off and the pain started. I didn’t know what was going on.”
The combination of the ambulance ride, an overnight stay in Queens hospital, an MRI plus other tests, ended up costing him $55,000 USD.
“I had an insurance at Nomad Insurance Safety Wing, but in their policy they don’t cover injuries sustained in competition.” Which means, had his injury occurred 40 seconds later, he’d be in the clear.
Due to it being a specialty event, there is no event insurance to cover the medical costs for athletes. It’s a similar situation to what happened to Kala Grace in last year’s Da Hui Backdoor Shootout.
“I want to make it really clear that the Vans Pipe Masters is my favorite contest in the world. I’ve been trying to find a solution to pay the bills myself, but it’s just too expensive, so I’ve resorted to a GoFundme.”
Eimeo is one of Tahiti’s most exciting new faces, a fearless, technical, stylish tuberider, and a very sweet young ripper that Stab’s been following since we first met him six or seven years ago filming one of the first episodes of No Contest.
Notably: He caught the third most spectacular ride of 2023.
Wishing Eimeo a fast recovery, and that he get the support he needs to get back on his feet. Donate to his GoFundMe here.
Comments
Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.
Already a member? Sign In
Want to join? Sign Up