Hawaiian surfer Dusty Payne suffered a horrendous wipeout at Pipeline's Backdoor, on the North Shore of Oahu, and nearly drowned.
Payne took off on just another four-foot inside wave at Backdoor but was not able to set his rail, slipped and went down.According to surf photographer Keoki Saguibo, who was in the water taking pictures, Payne may have hit the reef with his head before getting pounded by four or five waves. But he didn't resurface, and his board was soon spotted floating unattended.
Saguibo paddled toward the former Championship Tour surfer and found him unconscious. The photographer held his neck while Jimmy "Ulu Boi" kept his back was straight.
A few minutes later, lifeguards reached Payne and took him to the beach where he was stabilized.
"He was unconscious when my guys got to him, but with the help of those first surfers on the scene, they got him breathing again back on shore," explained lifeguard Adam Lerner.
"All those guys are heroes. It never ceases to amaze me how good they are."
The pro surfer from Maui was immediately rushed to the hospital with a smashed forehead and a shattered jaw. Fortunately, Dusty Payne regained consciousness and is expected to make a quick recovery.
Dusty Payne won the 2017 Billabong Pipe Invitational.
