Tom Lowe suffered a serious injury after a wipeout at Teahupo’o. Photo: TL
British big wave surfer Tom Lowe has taken to social media to let his followers know that he is alive and well after a near-death incident at Teahupo’o. Four days after a wipeout that nearly cost him his life, he said he doesn’t remember anything from the June 4 rescue.
“So here we are. What are the chances of having another near-death at Teahupo’o the first time back surfing it,” Lowe wrote on Instagram. “Thankful it wasn’t my time again.”
“Eternally grateful to Vetea David and Sage Burke for rescuing and resuscitating me…my true guardian angels!!” he continued. “I don’t remember anything about the accident at all, besides coughing up water and blood in the marina. I was under for two or three minutes, the guys said…must have got knocked out on the reef or blacked out from the hold down. Feels pretty scary not remembering anything.”
According to Tahiti-based photographer Tim McKenna, Lowe received a three-to-four-wave hold down. He was picked up by water rescue in the lagoon without a pulse, but was successfully resuscitated on a Jet Ski.
It was Lowe’s second near-death experience at Teahupo’o. He also had a bad wipeout two years ago at the notorious Tahitian reef pass.
“Will this be the end of Teahupo’o for me…I really don’t know,” said Lowe. “It’ll be hard not to come back to this magical place again. For now, I’m just so grateful to be alive, to be able to be with my family here, and for the deep connections made with the place and people once again.”
“If it wasn’t for (David) grabbing my lifeless body out of the water, and him and (Burke) resuscitating me, Teahupo’o would have taken me,” Lowe concluded. “I’m a lucky guy.”
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