Beloved American Surfer Dies in Freak Accident
The surfing world is mourning the death of one of its brightest stars in Hawaii-born Mikala Jones. The 44-year-old was surfing off the coast of Indonesia on July 9 when he experienced a fatal injury while doing what he loved.
According to Surfline, Jones suffered an accident that resulted in a nearly four-inch-long wound inside his left groin. While his exact cause of death has yet to be confirmed, it appears that a surfboard fin severed his femoral artery in a freak accident.
Jones moved to Bali nearly two decades ago in search of waves to surf and video. The Mentawai Islands off the coast of Sumatra, where he was staying when he died, are a hotspot for avid surfers looking for their next big wave.
Jones' daughter Isabella mourned his death on Instagram hours after he passed. "I'm happy he was doing what he loved the most," she shared under a photo of him holding her as a child. "Life will never be the same without you. I miss you so much, I would do anything to get one more moment, even if it was us arguing and then laughing our asses off. Thank you for teaching me so many life lessons and always being there for me."
She shared another post on July 11 with photos and videos of her dad in action on the waves. Reminiscing on happy memories they had together on the beach, Isabella thanked her father for instilling an undying love of the water in her.
"Thank you dad for taking me on so many adventures, pushing me to do things when I didn’t want to, teaching me so many life lessons, always being there for me and making us all happy. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without you. I will forever carry on your legacy," she eulogized. "You made the ocean my happy place, made me feel safe, taught me patience, a place where I could escape from reality, not worry about anything and every time I go in the water I will be thinking about you."
Mikala's family members are just a few of the people who are reeling from his sudden death. Legendary pro surfer Kelly Slater, who has 11 World Surf League champion titles to his name, commented "Legend" with a broken heart emoji on Jones' final Instagram post—a photo of him surfing through a curling wave. Slater also shared his condolences on a post shared by Hawaii-based surf photographer Brian Bielmann. “Sobering moment," he admitted. "Maybe nobody lived this life better. Incredible guy and surfer.”
Mick Fanning, a three-time world surf champion, shared a photo of himself with Jones on Instagram. “So shattered to hear the news. Mikala, you were one of a kind," he said. "Funny, mellow, an explorer, a pioneer but most of all loving husband and father. Going to miss your sense of humor and classic one-liners. Love how you always kept it real but were a true ambassador of aloha."
Our hearts go out to Mikala's friends and family as they navigate the difficult aftermath of the tragedy.