Right after reportedly struggling a heart attack on Friday afternoon, North Shore icon Derek Ho handed absent at 55 several years outdated.
Ho was Hawaii’s initially planet champion, a 4-time Triple Crown champ, and a two-time Pipeline Master. Browsing achievements do not occur any extra prestigious than that. In addition to these kinds of unbelievable achievements, Ho will be remembered for a great deal extra than his accomplishment in a jersey. He’ll be remembered for his huge smile, his infectious electrical power, his vibrant tales, his mentoring of several generations, and maybe most importantly, his prowess at Pipeline for extra than a few a long time.
Considering that the news of Ho’s passing, the surf community has taken to social media to pay back tribute to Ho and his household. We’ve compiled some of them below.
Kalani Chapman
“I’m heading to skip sitting down at second reef hunting above and looking at you in your spot looking down the most gorgeous barrels ever. I know you will be correct there guiding us with all the other angels now. I will always cherish the reminiscences and knowledge you shared with me. Relaxation In Peace Uncle D @derekho1980 right up until we surf again in heaven. My enjoy and condolences go out to the Ho Spouse and children. #pipeline #learn #legend #firsthawaiianworldchapion #emeraldcity”
Landon Mcnamara
“You can see at the get started of this clip me pulling back again, and the only motive is because I observed Uncle Derek Ho heading for it, and I’m not even gonna test to say I gave him the wave because in my eyes any wave he required out there was his, that’s the regard I experienced for him and how a great deal of an idol he was to me. Im blessed ample to have shared classes like this with him, some good occasions, and inspirational one liners he’d toss my way each individual now and than that I’ll under no circumstances forget. I enjoy you Uncle D thank you for paving the way and getting an inspiration for a GoofyFooter. The NorthShore, The browsing planet, and Pipeline will under no circumstances be the similar again. All my enjoy heading out to all the HO Ohana, if you have to have anything at all I’ll be there! R.I.Paradise Uncle D”
Gerry Lopez
“One of Hawaii’s Browsing Greatest ambassadors has left us and it is a unhappy working day. Derek Ho leaves at the rear of immeasurable memorable moments for so a lot of close friends, loved types and even strangers. He lived with Aloha.”
Kala Alexander
“The gentleman. The myth. The legend. Our hero. Words and phrases can under no circumstances categorical what this gentleman stood for and meant to all of us expanding up right here in Hawaii. From the initially time I surfed #Sunset and #Pipeline 38 several years back right up until now #UncleD was always on the best waves and dominating. He always surfed extra than any one. Generally so psyched. A lot more psyched to surf than any one I have ever met. Only #UncleMike and #Mason arrived close. Going to skip that smile and that #Mana. My Aloha goes out to the Ho Ohana. Adore you guys. I’m always right here for you. Adore you Uncle D ! You always put a smile on my confront. #FirstHawaiianWorldChamp #Hawaiian #KanakaMaoli #NorthshoresFinest #WaimanaloBoy #LegendsNeverDie #RestinParadise #AhuiHou”
Jamie O’Brien
“The Pipeline king @derekho1980 I’m heading to skip you!!! Missing for text!!!! Relaxation In Peace.”
John Florence
“Such a unhappy working day for our community. Derek Ho has been somebody ive always appeared up to expanding up, from getting the initially Hawaiian planet champion to getting in a position to get huge barrels at pipe in his fifties with his brother and household. I hope that I can be browsing out there smiling finding waves like he did when I’m that age with my brothers. Thank you Uncle Derek for all you have finished for our activity and all the inspiration you have given.”
Nathan Florence
“A devastating decline to the surf community and entire Ho household, RIP uncle D, Gonna skip looking at your grin and looking at you part a line up of the best surfers in the planet just by hunting at a wave! You led the complete top of the Pipeline hierarchy with style and honor and she will skip you significantly, thanks for paving a way for all surfers out of hawaii.”
Strider Wasilewski
“@derekho1980 has moved on… my heart and soul truly feel this one deeply and I send out so a great deal enjoy to his household. Pictured right here just very last April he was browsing his beloved Pipeline to the finish! My whole lifetime I’ve appeared up to you Uncle D, so thank you for inspiring me. When I close my eyes I see your smile and when a established is coming I see your smirk! I promise to continue to surf Pipeline as long as I can, in your honor legend… #rip #legend #pipeline #hawaii #uncled #thankyou #legendsneverdie”
Tom Carroll
“R.I.P. Derek. Waves of reminiscences all working day long these days – challenging to spot in text. Wow we experienced some beauties jointly, those people paddle battles less than lip and posturing on the seashore ahead of semi and final bouts in The Pipeline Masters to operating out which wave to consider in the fifteen wave established all through Inland Browsing Championships Allentown, Pensilvania wavepool (1985) – immeasurable contrasts. But it was actively playing out of tune songs with the boys up at your property in Pūpūkea continues to be the spotlight of our link. I’ll always have with me how unbelievably gracious you in which equally in victory and defeat. A signal of a good champion – thank you for pushing me to my best. My heart goes out to all the Ho household, sending all my enjoy to you guys correct now. Your presents continue being in just us Derek Ho.”
Barton Lynch
“I arrived throughout this shot on Thursday night time heading by means of an album @photogordinho experienced shared with me several years back and imagined I would give D a connect with in the morning and see if he required to surf Goat’s then woke to the news of his hospitalisation. Fark, then I was finding prepared to go bed very last night time And see @jamie_mitcho write-up and get started hoping it is completely wrong and then see other posts but go to bed unable to give up hope. Waking this morning I am heartbroken by the reality of getting rid of our brother, we are sending all of our enjoy and regard to the Ho Ohana, I enjoy you guys and am hurting with you. Cannot wait around to hug you. For me Derek represented freedom, he lived by his policies and was under no circumstances anybody’s puppet. He was a sharp deep thinking particular person who used it to come to be an influenced competitor and surfer of legendary status. The initially Hawaiian planet champ and he continued his brilliance all the way to the finish. Lifetime is not a race or about who is right here the longest it is about what you did with the time you got and my brother lived his desires and killed it, good innings D your contribution will very last permanently. @kianaho @makoa_ho @xococoho @cocom4debarrelkilla @t_ho_tata @kala___grace #hodynasty this is D beating me in the final in Japan. RIP”
Mick Fanning
“So unhappy to hear we misplaced an additional good soul. Uncle D was always these kinds of a helpful and funny dude in the direction of me. Comprehensive of lifetime and quirky in the wonderful HO household way. To see him even now browsing destinations like pipeline as good as any one at 55 is a substantial inspiration. Your memory, legacy and character will reside on and inspire a lot of in the long term. Considerably enjoy to all the Ho household in this time. Adore you.”
Balaram Stack
“My initially imagined was that this is heading to be a challenging one for us all to swallow. Uncle was a human that taught me so a great deal from looking at substantial everyday pipe barrels to a great number of tales on the deck just his existence would educate you how to be a good human and a pipe surfer. Thank you uncle D. Relaxation in paradise.”
Jake Paterson
“So unhappy to hear the news about one of the greats @derekho1980 RIP mate. I was blessed ample to get started my pro career when Derek was even now on tour. He smoked me in ping pong one calendar year at Bells that I will under no circumstances forget, and I will always bear in mind how joyful he was when I sore him. Ideas go out to the whole Ho household.”
Brian Bielmann
“The Browsing planet has misplaced a planet Champ, the North Shore has misplaced a brother, and Pipeline has misplaced a KING. RIP Derek Ho. We Adore you. Our prayers to Tanya and The Ho Family”
Dane Gudauskas
(@danedamus) on Jul 18, 2020 at seven:50am PDT“Rest is peace Derek! A genuine inspiration by means of and by means of!! Thank you!!! Very long may you ride… so a great deal enjoy to all the Ho fam and north shore community, thinking about you guys!”
Kalani Robb
“Thank u for teaching me all the actual lifetime misplaced artwork classes @derekho1980”
This posting at first appeared on Surfer.com and was republished with authorization.
