Surf Community Rallies To Raise Funds For Eddie Winner And On-Duty Hawaiian Lifeguard Luke Shepardson - Stab Mag

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

871 Views
Luke was just grateful for the opportunity. Photo: Jimmy Wilson

Surf Community Rallies To Raise Funds For Eddie Winner And On-Duty Hawaiian Lifeguard Luke Shepardson

Because it’s the right thing to do, of course.

news // Jan 26, 2023
Words by Ashton Goggans
Reading Time: 3 minutes

On Sunday, thousands made their way to Oahu’s North Shore, packed onto the sand, and scaled the cliffs above Waimea Bay to watch the 10th Eddie Aikau Invitational (read our on-the-ground report here).

Exponentially more tuned in from home to watch the biggest and most celebrated spectacle our sport has ever seen, which for decades boasted a $100,000+ purse, at various times the largest prize purse in competitive surfing.

So it was quite a shock to see the winner, Luke Shepardson — an on-duty Waimea Lifeguard and mostly unsponsored, perennial underground North Shore charger since his early grom days — hoisting a novelty check from the Eddie for 350,000 Hawaiian Airlines Miles, as well as a cash prize of $10k USD.

Luke Shepardson and Kala Grace. Photo: Jimmy Wilson

“I think realizing there were benched NFL players making more to do nothing on the same day got me all fired up to do something,” wrote enigmatic, anonymous, rabble-rousing Instagram account @CListboards wrote. “Again, I don’t know the guy, but I know it’s not easy being a public servant day in and day out with a family. Especially in one of the more expensive states to live in.

“But ain’t no sob story here, no emotional ‘call to action’ for ya. Just simply stating that for there to be a decimated purse on the year ‘one of us’ wins… well that ain’t right. And no, I ain’t gonna go looking for a corporate lump sum for the guy. Just humbly asking people one at a time that if they were moved, inspired, or entertained to chuck our boy a few bones and a note of gratitude. Peer-to-peer, bro-to-bro surf underground community support. That is all, no crazy story here.”

Are you not entertained? Mark Healey by Jimmy Wilson

After the 2016 event, in which the winner John Florence netted a cool $75,000, the Eddie Aikau Foundation and longtime supporter of the event, Quiksilver, went their separate ways, leaving the event in a vulnerable financial position. Alas, there was no way The Eddie was going to disappear, and in the six years since, the Eddie Aikau Foundation (led by esteemed Aikau family members) has been able to generate a core group of supporting brands — enough to keep the event alive and well, but not enough to match the previous six-figure prize purse.

So this week, as the Eddie hangover lifted, the surf world has come out of the woodwork to offer their own personal money to help fatten the Eddie pot for “Casual Luke” Shepardson and his family (who were reluctant to receive any attention or extra financial support, we’re told).

Eschewing the popular GoFundMe route, CLsurfboards is encouraging friends and fans to simply Venmo @luke-shepardson and include their own thoughtful personal notes of congratulations to the young Eddie winner, whose name has been splashed across headlines everywhere from the NY Times to the Washington Post.

If you were as taken with Casual Luke’s efforts on Saturday — while donning the yellow and red in the tower making sure every Eddie attendee and invitee made it home safe — you can drop a few greenbacks in his account.

Again, that’s @luke-shepardson on Venmo.

A now-iconic surfing figure. Luke Shepardson by Jimmy Wilson

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

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

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 3

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

Jul 3, 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

Houshmand Bludgeons Field To Win Second CT — Molly Picklum Tastes Blood, Snatches World #1 In Brazil

You can't argue with big surfing — that's Saquarema wrapped.

Jun 29, 2025

37 Years Old And World #1 — What’s Changed For Jordy Smith?

On rediscovering decades old surfboard templates, having a personality on the CT, and why this…

Jun 27, 2025

Tom Lowe Stars in ‘Let Me Live’

The wild, improbable ascent of Britain’s best big-wave surfer.

Jun 27, 2025

Saq Wrap: Italo Celebrates Mid-Heat, Griff Drops A Freestyle, Jordy + Yago Continue BBQing 20-YOs

Top seeds sow ruin, Final 5 starts to crystallize.

Jun 27, 2025

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 2

Our seven surviving surfers confront an oddly large California beach break.

Jun 26, 2025

SEOTY: The ‘Once-In-A-Decade’ Caribbean Swell That Kelly Slater Passed On

Michael Dunphy stars in Jimmicane's 'Blue Veil'

Jun 25, 2025

Who Owns Bingin? Legal Fight To Stop Demolition Begins

Eviction notices served for all businesses built on state land.

Jun 25, 2025

Tony Hawk Just Named Hughie Vaughan’s Internet-Breaking Air Because… No One Else Can

89% of our IG poll respondents claimed the 'stale fish flipper' was the best air…

Jun 25, 2025

German Surfers: AN INVESTIGATION

Truth is the light by which the world can see. 

Jun 24, 2025
Advertisement