Photo credit: www.foxnews.com

Makai McNamara Injured in Surfing Accident at Banzai Pipeline

A recent incident at the notorious Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii left pro surfer Makai McNamara unconscious after being struck by a powerful wave. The event drew concern from fellow surfers, lifeguards, and beachgoers who quickly rallied to assist him.

As reported by Island News, McNamara, a seasoned veteran of the Pipeline, experienced the accident last Sunday while riding a particularly challenging wave. Rescuers managed to get him safely to the shore after the fall.

Eli Olson, a fellow professional surfer and friend of McNamara, characterized the incident as an unfortunate mishap. “It was just a bad wave, kind of a freak accident, and he went head first into the reef,” he explained, also praising McNamara as “one of the best [surfers] out there.”

According to Olson, McNamara was submerged for approximately two minutes before he could be reached. During the rescue efforts, responders initiated CPR to try and revive him. “I just wanted to keep his head above water so he didn’t take in more water,” Olson recounted. His attempts at resuscitation included a few breaths followed by CPR compressions.

“While we were getting tossed around by the waves, we managed to pull him in and continued CPR,” he added. Fortunately, McNamara began to cough up water, signaling a positive response.

After regaining consciousness on the beach, McNamara was transported to a hospital where he remained under medical care, initially placed in an induced coma for three days to assist his recovery.

In a video shared on social media, McNamara’s father, Liam, provided an update on his son’s condition. “It’s been 24 hours since the incident, and he’s on his road to recovery,” he shared. He expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support and positive energy directed towards his son during this difficult time, saying, “Makai feels your energy, your love. Thank you for your support.” 

Liam also thanked the lifeguards and others who participated in the rescue effort, stating, “So many people helped save my son.” He conveyed optimism about McNamara’s strength as he faces this challenge, affirming, “Makai’s a strong young man, and he’s going to get through this.” 

Meanwhile, Olson emphasized the collaborative nature of the rescue and voiced his hopes for McNamara’s full recovery. “All that matters is Makai makes a full recovery and we can laugh and share waves with him soon,” he remarked in a recent update.

Source
www.foxnews.com