Makai McNamara, a second-generation professional surfer, is in a medically induced coma after being knocked out while competing in Hawaii.
The 29-year-old son of surfer Liam McNamara and nephew of sport legend Garrett McNamara, Makai was surfing at Banzai Pipeline on Oahu’s North Shore when he was wiped out by a large wave and went head first into a reef on Sunday. The Pipeline is considered among the most dangerous wave breaks in Hawaii if not the world.
Makai was rescued by fellow surfer Eli Olson and a team of emergency responders who charged into the water amid the panicked scene.
‘He’s underwater for close to two minutes before I got to him,’ Olson told KITV Island News. ‘First thing, I just wanted to like keep his head above water so he didn’t take more water in. I gave him a couple breaths. Try to give him a couple compressions.
‘We’re getting hit by waves out here,’ Olson continued. ‘We’re getting kind of recycled in the waves and then we got him in life first, did another round of CPR compressions, and he started coughing up water.’
Ocean Safety performed CPR and used an automated external defibrillator, eventually helping Makai to regain a pulse, according to SurfNewsNetwork.com.
Makai McNamara (pictured) was injured at the Banzai Pipeline off the coast of Oahu
McNamara rides a wave at Pipeline on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii on February 14, 2021
EMS arrived shortly thereafter to administer advance life support before transferring Maki to a nearby emergency room in critical condition, where he was placed in a medically induced coma.
Since then, Liam has updated the public on the condition of his son.
‘It’s been 24 hours since the incident and he’s on his road to recovery,’ he said. ‘He feels your energy, he feels your love, he feels your positive vibes and we appreciate each and every one of you for your support.
‘I thank the lifeguards and everybody who helped, so many people. Thank you so much for helping save my son.’
‘The next two days he’ll be here in the hospital and we just need the continued prayers and positive energy,’ he added. ‘Makai’s a strong young man and he’s going to get through this.’
Liam also asked that footage of his son’s rescue not be shared publicly because it was distressing to the family.
Describing Makai as ‘one of the best [surfers] out there,’ Olson explained that the incident was a product of bad circumstances.
‘It was just a bad wave, kind of a freak accident, and he went head first into the reef,’ Olson said.
Several surfers and photographers have been killed at the Pipeline, where the average wave rises more than nine feet, but can reach as high as 20.
The most dangerous aspect of the coast is the areas of shallow water, known as ‘Off the Wall’ and ‘Backdoor,’ according to a 2018 report by WorldSurfLeague.com.
