Andy Irons Surf Pro Dies

[MediMary]

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uwtqRBE4Kk&feature=player_embedded[/YOUTUBE]

YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN ANDY. WE LOVE YOU. OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH YOUR FAMILY.
Official Statement: HONOLULU - (November 2, 2010) -- The world of surfing mourns an incredibly sad loss today with the news that Hawaii's Andy Irons has died. Andy was a beloved husband, and a true champion. Irons, 32,withdrew from a professional surfing event in Puerto Rico last weekend due to illness and passed away during a layover en-route to his home in Kauai, Hawaii. He had reportedly been battling with dengue fever, a viral disease. At this time the family thanks his friends and fans for their support,and asks that the community respect its privacy. The family also asks to not be contacted so their focus can remain on one another during this time of profound loss.



It is with deep sadness that Billabong has learned of the news of Andy Irons’ passing. Andy was one of the greatest surfers of our time. More than that, he was a much loved son, a devoted husband and a soon-to-be father. The thoughts of all Billabong employees worldwide are with wife Lyndie and Andy’s family at this most devastating time.

 

[Zissou Intern]

damn man yeah sucks. he was about to have a kid and everything.

sick man, fuckin SHREDS if you've ever seen him. his average day is like my INCREDIBLE day.... fuck great guy.


R.I.P. tokin for ya AI

 

[The Joker]

Rip. Saw him and his brother ripping it up at Cannonballs on the north shore after the triple crown win.

Peace.

 

[Seamaiden]

I read that last night, he died of dengue, just like my cousin Eric did. And he caught it on the island, too! :(

 

[MediMary]

I think I read that he caught it in portugal, im not sure, they did find methadone in his room. Probably prescribed to him as Dengue is also called breakbone flu as it supposed to be incredibly painful and feel like everything in your body is broken.

I lived on Oahu 6 years, saw him surf quite a few times, up on the north shore, what a shitty way to die too, alone in a hotel in pain, and his wife is having a baby next month too.
Shitty
RIP Man thanks for all the inspiration.

 

[MediMary]

Do you guys all surf too? shortboard/longboard

 

[SurfdOut]

Everybody on the North Shore is crying...

 

[Seamaiden]

No, he was in Puerto Rico and that's where he caught the dengue. I don't think dengue can exist in Portugal, pretty sure it's almost exclusively tropical. People don't realize that you REALLY need to make sure you're not bitten by mosquitoes there, not unless you either live there or know someone who lives there.

The thing is, is that usually you have to be reinfected more than once, two or three times at least, before it actually kills you. This is what happened to Eric, he had caught dengue at least twice before he died of it.

I don't surf, used to be a surf guppy, though, LOVE watching it.

 

[Rabbi]

May the Earth continue to live
May the heavens above continue to live

May the rains continue to dampen the land

May the wet forests continue to grow

then the flowers shall bloom

and we humans shall live again.

 

[MediMary]

Sea, not sure about that, it says a few surfers caught dengue in portugal.


I bet you he died from the methadone he was taking for the pain.


THERE was an outpouring of shock and grief in the professional surfing community yesterday following the unexpected death of triple world champion Andy Irons.

Irons, 32, withdrew from the world tour event in Puerto Rico this week with a serious illness, amid concerns that he had contracted dengue fever in Portugal last month.

He was en route to his home in Hawaii when he was found dead in a Dallas airport hotel.

It was unclear if he had died from the effects of his illness or from another cause with Hawaii's Star Advertiser reporting that his death was being investigated as a possible methadone overdose. The newspaper said the Tarrant County medical examiner had found methadone, and other medications, in Irons's hotel room.

Australian rookie Owen Wright was due to surf against Irons in the first round of the event in Puerto Rico, but said he was not surprised when the triple world champion withdrew. He said both he and Irons had contracted an illness at the tour event in Portugal.

"I almost didn't turn up for this event myself," Wright said from his hotel room in Puerto Rico. "There had been a bout of this going round from Portugal. It didn't hit me as a surprise that Andy was sick."

Wright said fellow Australian Chris Davidson, South African Travis Logie and Kelly Slater's girlfriend Kalani Miller had also been struck down by symptoms including exhaustion, fever and headaches.

"From the symptoms I heard he had, there's a massive possibility that Andy had a similar thing," Wright said.

Wright said there had been a big storm while the tour was in Portugal, which had washed the local rivers out, which might have increased mosquito activity.

Wright said he hadn't had his condition diagnosed, but was now seeing a doctor. He said the mood at the event site was one of shock.

"It's such heavy news," Wright said. "Everyone is really shaken up. Everyone is just speechless. I always looked up to him as a hero. I still do."

Retired former world champion Mark Occhilupo received the news via a phone call from compatriot Joel Parkinson.

"I just broke down," Occhilupo told Fox Sports. "I went and saw my wife and couldn't stop crying. I'm flying to Hawaii on Saturday, the funeral is probably going to be one of the biggest ones in history because he was loved by everyone.

"He was such a vibrant, lovely person to be around. One of my best mates.

"It's really, really heart-wrenching."

He said Irons had previously contracted dengue fever on a trip to Bali. Medical experts say the mosquito-borne disease is far more dangerous if contracted a second time.

The most serious haemorrhagic strain has a death rate of up to 20 per cent if left untreated, according to the World Health Organisation.

In Puerto Rico, the Association of Surfing Professionals suspended its tour event yesterday as officials and surfers discussed whether it would be appropriate to continue with the contest.

ASP chief executive Brodie Carr struggled to hold his composure as he described the sense of loss within the close-knit community.

"We're all deeply, deeply saddened and our thoughts go out to all his family and friends and it's a sad day for surfing when one of our tribesman and friends has been lost," Carr said.

"(His partner) Lyndie is pregnant and due to give birth to their baby boy in less than a month."

Irons, who grew up on Kauai, Hawaii, won three world titles from 2002-2004, and 20 pro tour events.

He was known for his powerful style, which he combined with a respectable bag of aerial manoeuvres, and was the only surfer to consistently challenge nine-times world champion Kelly Slater in the last decade.

 

[SurfdOut]

This was an OD Medimary, wish it wasn't. All the kids here idolize him sooo much.

 

[MediMary]

yah, I hope they don't think its cause he was strung out, I bet you anything he was just taking that stuff cause he was sick, at least thats what I want to believe. I liked andy and bruce.
I LOVE surfing, hands down my biggest passion in life. And I was always so motivated watching the Irons. ;(

 

[SurfdOut]

I didn't surf the big swell yesterday morning, was watching my daughter at the beach. So I found out before anybody, even saw all his friends at Starbucks and they didn't know yet.

Methadone is synthetic heroin and is only prescribed to the worst heroin addicts. As much as I love my boy, partying cost him his life.

 

[SurfdOut]

You don't know the Kauai guys very well, all soldiers that go hard at everything.

 

[MediMary]

Some people are prescribed methadone for pain, not only heroin junkies.
My grandpa had dengue fever, said it was the most painful thing he has ever experienced, there is a chance he was just taking the methadone for the pain he was in.
Im going to give him the benefit of the doubt until other facts are stating otherwise.
I personally don't even like getting high when the waves are pumping. Now if its overhead, ill smoke a blunt on the beach.

 

[MediMary]

oh shit surfed out, you live in hawaii, what island bro?

 

[frostedlove]

MAN Irons Could Swack IT!

RIDE IN PEACE BRO--------------
or RIP in Peace--------what ever mood sots you bro.




MUCH LOVE

And to everyone else

ENJOY the ride cause you just never know!

 

[SurfdOut]

Dengue(bone crushers disease) is a bitch, had an outbreak in the islands a couple of years back, lots of my friends got it.

It's not important at this point how he died, but that we all lost an inspiration.

 

[SurfdOut]

Medimary, I live on the North Shore. You have no idea how hard this hit us.

 

[MediMary]

I tried living north short but couldnt find any work, had to live townside, got stuck surfing ala moana kaisers mostly ha, would go up to the north shore on the weekends, I liked surfing off the wall, and would go to chuns once in awhile.
Fuckin eh i miss surfing.
here is one of my fav boards.
was just looking at this pic the other day, she was a 5'8'' fish tail, 3fin, 21/8 just a little rocker.