Stab Magazine | Watch: Jamie O'Brien Blacks Out And Nearly Dies At Pipeline

The site will undergo maintenance on Monday, 23rd June from 3 AM to 3:30 AM CST.

Live Now — 1-Week Premium Peek — Episode 2 Of Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico

582 Views

Watch: Jamie O’Brien Blacks Out And Nearly Dies At Pipeline

Hit in the head, knocked out, underwater for half a minute!

cinema // Apr 9, 2019
Words by Stab
Reading Time: 2 minutes

We shouldn’t need to tell you that Pipeline is a dangerous wave. 

It is, statistically, the deadliest surf spot in the world. Every year Pipeline brings a major surfing figure close to death. This year, it appears Pipeline Master Jamie O’Brien is that guy. 

Surfing what he called “6-foot Pipeline” on a beautiful spring day, Jamie took off deep on a lumpy blue wall, bounced down the face and wildly flailed his arms before crashing in the flats. To our eye, it looked like Jamie fell in front of the lip, meaning he should have been blasted forward but not in a spectacularly awful fashion. Pipeline being Pipeline, it defied the laws of the ocean, instead picking up all 6’3, 200 pounds of Jamie O’Brien and hurling him over the falls, causing Jamie to hit his head either on the reef or on his own surfboard on the way down. 

Then he blacked out. And got held under for half a minute.

“I don’t remember anything,” Jamie said to his GoPro, seconds after he emerged. “Was it a left or a right?”

It was a left. 

Luckily for Jamie, when all this went down he was wearing a floaty suit from Buell, which brought him up to the surface despite being unconscious. Jamie was also helped by two friendly samaritans in the water. 

Finally on the beach, the extent of Jamie’s injury was discovered. A massive flap of scalp had been three-quarters removed from Jamie’s head, creating a hole that revealed his skull. It ain’t a pretty sight.

Jamie went to the ER and was administered roughly 10 staples, which will help reattach his skin to his head.

With the hole sealed and a concussion quite probable, the doctor implored Jamie to keep his head dry for 24 hours. He said yes ma’am and left.

But how strange would it have been if Jamie actually died?

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

German University Surf Contest Derails After Local Pushes Competitor Off Wave

The story behind the shove, and why wave-rental politics turned physical in Seignosse.

Jun 22, 2025

An Accidental 90-Minute Chat With Caity Simmers

A Stab Interview on life, individuality, and chimpanzee research initiatives.

Jun 21, 2025

No Tears In Saquarema

Can anyone other than Italo, Filipe or Yago win the Vivo Rio Pro?

Jun 20, 2025

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 2

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

Jun 19, 2025

Why Is One Of The World’s Longest Lefts Being Bulldozed?

Pavones residents displaced as excavators move in.

Jun 19, 2025

The Seven Surfing Conspiracies

Inside surfing’s shadow government: what they don’t want you to know.

Jun 18, 2025

Mongrels Flood The Mondrian, Doped Youth Resurfaces in Versace

An autopsy of the Solento Surf Film Festival — and a breakdown of the biggest…

Jun 18, 2025

The Billion Dollar Hole Behind Lakey Peak: Should Surfers Be Worried?

A massive gold mine is being excavated behind the Indonesian surf village, fueled by foreign…

Jun 17, 2025

Record-Smashing Surf Coach Eyes Off His Next Victim: Sydney Olympic Park

Blakey Johnson’s July plans: survive 108+ hours in the cool, recirculated waters of URBNSURF. 

Jun 17, 2025

Watch: Milk & Honey, Presented By YETI & Sun Bum

A surf film starring Stephanie Gilmore, Caity Simmers, Coco Ho, and Frankie Harrer.

Jun 17, 2025

Stab Interview: WSL Tour President Graham Stapelberg On The Changes And Challenge(r)s Of The Post-Cut Era

Maxing Pipe, Triple Crown realities, Jordy Smith, sponsors up the yin-yang, and more.

Jun 16, 2025

Was That The Best Day Of Performance Surfing In 2025?

Kerrupt flips, double airs, and a cornucopia of 9 point waves.

Jun 15, 2025

Watch: Albee Layer Drops His Second Stab Edit Of The Year In 4 Months

And we dare say "Less Than Easy" is even better than the former.

Jun 13, 2025

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 1

Our first loser goes home in this "king of the hill" showdown.

Jun 12, 2025

How To Convince A Bunch Of Small Town Floridians That They Need A Wavepool

Warren Smith is creatively diversifying the tourism portfolio of his hometown.

Jun 12, 2025

Italo And Filipe Lost, But Surfing Won Today

No shortage of excellence on Day Two at Lowers.

Jun 11, 2025

Opinion: Griffin vs Filipe Was A Masterclass In Surfing & Judging

And the exact reason Lowers is on tour.

Jun 11, 2025

How Politics Canceled A WSL Pro Junior Event In The Basque Country

The Israel-Palestine conflict hits surfing.

Jun 11, 2025
Advertisement