Jackson ‘Jacko’ Graham, Former Palm Beach Boardriders Champion, Dies at 22 - Stab Mag
66 Views
Jacko nailed one before he went out. Hope this view’s etched into him, wherever he is now. Cyclone Alfred by Josh Bystrom / @bystrom_photo

Jackson ‘Jacko’ Graham, Former Palm Beach Boardriders Champion, Dies at 22

“He had the kindest heart in the world, and he was a fucking good surfer.”

news // Aug 12, 2025
Words by Jack O'Neill Paterson
Reading Time: < 1 minute

Jackson ‘Jacko’ Graham, winner of the Palm Beach Boardriders title at 14 and former WSL junior tour competitor, has tragically passed away. He was 22.

Jacko, a Gold Coast local beloved by his community, leaves behind a trail of memories in the surf world. Fellow surfers have taken to social media to remember the young talent.

“When I walked into my first class at my new school on the Gold Coast after moving up from Yamba, the first person I sat next to was Jacko,” wrote Oscar Berry. “Since then, he’s remained one of my closest mates. Jacko was absolutely one of a kind, so talented and an all round ripping bloke, with the kindest heart in the world.”

The Mad Hueys posted a collage from their old surfing and fishing trips, captioning it:
“Rest easy, Jacko. You’ll always be in the hearts of the Mad Hueys.”

“Far out, we had some good times, brother,” wrote the Hazza twins.

A paddle out will be held at Palm Beach to celebrate Jacko’s life. Details to come.

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

The Most Controversial Stab In The Dark Ever

174 waves and 14.5 hours in the brine later.

Mar 4, 2026

WSL Drops New 2026 Challenger Series Schedule… With A Twist

Pipeline: out. Cloud 9: in?

Mar 3, 2026

Watch: The Finale Of Stab In The Dark X Starring Kelly Slater

The winner is...

Mar 2, 2026

Kelly Slater + Dane Reynolds Talk Lineup Psychosis And The Untold Stories Of SITD X | StabMic Episode 03

The 11x World Champ rings in from NZ.

Feb 27, 2026

SEOTY: Liam O’Brien Stars In AMALGAM

Surfing's beloved intellectual lunatic takes a tour of the Southern Hemisphere.

Feb 26, 2026

“Everyone Knows I Was A Motherfucker At One Time. I’m Not Afraid To Own Up To That.”

Makua Rothman on catching the wave of his life while high on Oxys, the issues…

Feb 25, 2026

Stab In The Dark X Predictions From Mason Ho, Jake Paterson, Joe Turpel And More

“Some good history there. If it happens we are truly in the year 2026.”

Feb 25, 2026

Filmmaker Andy Woodward’s Front-Row Seat To The Aftermath Of El Mencho’s Death

"There's cars on fire everywhere. It's war zone shit."

Feb 25, 2026

Watch: Yago Dora, Eithan Osborne & Shane Borland Bless New Saudi Wavepool With NBDs

Where billionaires get their wings.

Feb 24, 2026

Could We Please Ask A Significant Favor?  

SITD X requires more literage.

Feb 24, 2026

What Surfing Should Learn From The Winter Olympics

Thank fuck that’s not us!

Feb 22, 2026

World Champs And WSL President Reject Surfing’s New Olympic Qualification System, Demand Revisions From ISA

Yago Dora, Caity Simmers, Ryan Crosby and more take a stand.

Feb 21, 2026

Hemp In The Athlete Zone, Pipe Master On Hypto Kryptos, Freesurfers Monetize Loneliness

This is the new order of operations — a Q1 industry report.

Feb 20, 2026

“It Was Like the Fourth of July. The Kitchen Sink’s Shattering. The Curtains Are On Fire. I Was Just Swimming Though Black Smoke.”

Kolohe Andino recalls the Gold Coast apartment fire that almost took everything.

Feb 20, 2026

Watch: Dane Reynolds Quizzes The Reigning World Champ | StabMic Episode 02

Yago Dora on his title year, the Volcom x Dad split, EAST over SITD, CT…

Feb 19, 2026

What I Learned Shooting Stab in the Dark with Kelly Slater

These innocuous observations from 11 days working with the greatest surfer of all time. 

Feb 18, 2026

Why Aren’t There More European Freesurfers?

Charly Quivront's new film, 'Who Is Charly?,' helps explain it.

Feb 18, 2026

Ferrari Boyz: Mikey Wright’s Apocalypse-Proof Ram 3500 Mega Cab

A daily driver with a 9-ton towing capacity.

Feb 17, 2026
Advertisement