Jason Momoa Recounts Terrifying Near-Drowning Experience While Surfing
Actor Jason Momoa has shared a harrowing account of a near-fatal surfing accident off the coast of Maui, Hawaii. The "Aquaman" star described the terrifying ordeal on the "Smartless" podcast, revealing a moment where he felt he had "already given up" and was screaming internally as he battled powerful waves.
The Jaws Incident
Momoa recounted the incident, which occurred in 2007 near the infamous Jaws surf break in Maui. He was on an extensive open-ocean paddle, covering approximately 13 miles down the coast with surfing legends Laird Hamilton and Dave Kalama. At one point, nearly a mile offshore, the leash of his surfboard snapped.
- The Setting: A 13-mile paddle off Maui’s coast near the Jaws surf break.
- The Incident: Momoa’s surfboard leash snapped, leaving him stranded.
- The Conditions: 10-foot Hawaiian waves and strong winds.
A Fight for Survival
Caught in a strong current and battered by 10-foot waves, Momoa found himself in a perilous situation. He was on the outer reef, a fact he didn’t initially realize, and his friends couldn’t see him. The force of the waves was so intense that they even ripped his shorts off.
"My body stopped. Like I couldn’t move my arms anymore, and I bubbled down," Momoa explained. "Then my my toe hit the outer reef. I literally gave up, and I’m screaming inside."
He described the moment his foot struck the reef, allowing him to anchor himself against the relentless waves. Thinking of his then three-month-old daughter, Lola Iolani, he felt he had "already given up" on life.
Rescue and Lasting Impact
After about ten minutes of struggling, Laird Hamilton managed to reach Momoa, towing another board. The journey back to shore was arduous, with Momoa’s feet bleeding from the coral. The experience had a profound effect on the actor, leading him to quit smoking.
"I couldn’t stop for my kids, I couldn’t stop for my ex, I couldn’t stop smoking," Momoa stated. "The moment I came out, I never smoked again. Like, I just died. I tried and tried, but I couldn’t do it again because I just, I gave up. Like, I gave up my life."
Momoa shared this story while promoting his new Apple TV+ series, "Chief of War," which explores the unification of the Hawaiian islands from an indigenous perspective.
Sources
- Momoa recalls near-death surfing experience in Hawaii, The Express Tribune.
- Jason Momoa Says on ‘Smartless’ He Almost Drowned in Big Waves Off Maui, TMZ.
- “Aquaman” star Jason Momoa nearly drowned while surfing: ‘My body stopped’, Yahoo News UK.
- ‘Aquaman’ star Jason Momoa nearly drowned while surfing: ‘My body stopped’, Entertainment Weekly.
- Jason Momoa almost drowned in surfing accident: ‘I had already given up’, The Independent.
