Stab Magazine | Dusty Payne Suffered A Broken Jaw And Fractured Skull From His Backdoor Slam

Live Now — Episode 3 Of Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico

487 Views

Dusty Payne Suffered A Broken Jaw And Fractured Skull From His Backdoor Slam

He’s expected to make a full recovery. 

news // Jan 10, 2018
Words by Stab
Reading Time: 3 minutes

The morning after a night of drinks is predictably awful. The morning after a face-first slam on the Backdoor reef is… we can’t even imagine.

As Dusty Payne woke up this morning, dealing with what must have been an otherworldly headache, Stab contacted Tom Carey to hear more about the incident and to get any updates from the Payne camp. 

http://vimeo.com/250248780

The rescue effort was extensive. Clip: Surf Slab

“I was swimming at Off The wall and saw the whole thing happen,” Tom carey tells Stab. “We saw the water angle, and he went backwards over his rails, got sucked over the falls and landed smack on his face. You can’t see it from the land angle, and I don’t think anyone wants to post the water angle, but we watched it and it’s a really ugly fall. I knew it right when I heard everyone start yelling, that it was Dusty. He’s so lucky. That wave is s fucking dangerous, especially at six-foot and shallow.”

“Keoki [Saguibo] spotted him and Uluboi and Mikey ‘Red’ [O’Shaughnessy] were right there to help grab him. He was hanging from his leash unconscious, spent three waves underwater. They got him above water, immediately braced his neck, everyone just snapped to. It was really impressive, just seeing the Brotherhood come together like that. You really feel it, in those moments, how important it is that everyone’s looking out for each other. Because if everything hadn’t happened exactly how it did, he easily could have died or been brain dead. So there’s good things to talk about.”

Carey Hawaii0676

Make no mistake — even paradisiacal waters can be merciless and cruel. But Dusty Payne isn’t one for negativity. 

“It’s crazy. The photographers save lives,” Tom continued. “We’re the first ones watching. When a guy goes down like that, they’re right inside us. It saved his life, Keoki yelling and calling everyone to action.”

“I swam in, just so scared I was going to see my friend dead on the beach. I was so worried and then he started yelling in pain, ‘I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe!’  Just screaming at the lifeguards. They pumped a lot of water out his lungs, so he was choking on it.

“He’s going to be OK. He fractured his skull. Broke his jaw. Face smashed in. He was conscious and able to say people’s names. He’s trying not to take the drugs, he’s such a badass. He’s seen what pain meds do to people, and just keeps his distance. It’s crazy. Even with his back surgery, guy took one pain killer and tossed the rest. He’s one of the strongest guys I know.”

And Stab would have to agree. 

Thanks to everyone that was on-hand yesterday, and let this be a reminder of how crucial CPR and water-rescue courses are for anyone who calls themselves a “surfer.” If you haven’t already enrolled, let this be the moment that inspires you. Who knows, you might just end up saving a life someday. 

FI8I2655

Get well soon, Dusty.

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

Correction: J-Bay All Foreplay, No Climax

Slim pickings on Day 1 of the Corona Cero Open J-Bay 2025.

Jul 11, 2025

What Do Hollywood, Surf Lessons, Michael Jackson And Traction Pads Have In Common?

A Stab Interview with Teva Dexter, the man behind surfing's hardest new hardware brand —…

Jul 10, 2025

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 3

"The tribe has spoken," Dane Reynolds pronounced, and a surfer's torch was snuffed.

Jul 10, 2025

How Josh Ku Nearly Died Trying To Cross From Ulus to G Land by Hydrofoil

“If someone finds me dead at least they can find my phone and know what…

Jul 10, 2025

Expect No Kiss, All Climax At The “World’s Most Perfect Pointbreak”

A Corona Cero Open J-Bay 2025 preview.

Jul 9, 2025

SEOTY: Liam O’Brien stars in ‘Friction of Perception’

"Hopefully I don’t come across like too much of a peanut."

Jul 8, 2025

10 Shapers To Watch In The Next 10 Years — Part One

“It’s like a drug empire, man. Cut the head off the snakes, and more will…

Jul 7, 2025

Mason Ho Joins Ritual Vision, Releases Remix Of Greatest Hits

Dion Agius riffs on the eyewear brand’s U.S. expansion, Ritualistic Tendencies, and the new stars…

Jul 7, 2025

Is It Time For A New Judging Format?

We have a modest proposal — a WSL head judge disagrees.

Jul 7, 2025

Luke Thompson Turns Last Year’s Priority Disaster Into Ballito Gold

+ earns himself a wildcard into Jbay.

Jul 7, 2025

Fiji Has Its First Professional Surfer, And He’s Unbelievable

16-year-old James Kusitino’s incomprehensible tube lounging leads to a deal with Former.

Jul 6, 2025

Laird Hamilton on The Limitations of Being a Purist, Invention vs. Ownership + Why He Never Had a Sticker Deal 

Untold stories from his How Surfers Get Paid interview.

Jul 4, 2025

When Surfer’s Eye Is Actually Cancer

Erin Campbell's brutal journey from surf camp dreams to chemo drops, cryotherapy, and surgical horror.

Jul 3, 2025

Surfing’s 2025 Q2 Report

An assessment of surfing's vital signs throughout the second quarter of 2025.

Jul 2, 2025

What Actually Happened to Occy’s Mad Max Plunger Pool In Yeppoon?

Surf Lakes’ brass talks: internet hecklers, the unplugging of the plunger, and the Tom Curren…

Jul 2, 2025

Poor Goofy Foots 

Data shows that the world is stacked against goofs — they even make 15% less money than…

Jul 1, 2025

Britain’s First Wavepool Has Closed — What Really Happened?

Bankruptcy, social media hackings, debts unpaid — and yet, reopening looms.

Jul 1, 2025

Watch: Was Matt Meola’s Air Actually Better Than Hughie’s?

Watch the full Swatch Nines highlight reel and decide.

Jun 30, 2025
Advertisement