The athlete lost his life in a tragic surfing accident in Indonesia.
Surf star Mikala Jones has died following a tragic surfing accident, his daughter confirmed on Instagram. He was 44.
According to a report from Surfline, Jones died after suffering a significant wound to the inside of his left groin -- presumably from his surfboard fin -- on Sunday, July 9, resulting in what appeared to be the severing of his femoral artery. The outlet states that although Jones was transported to a nearby hospital, he was declared dead there from his injuries.
Jones was a celebrated Hawaiian-born pro surfer who lived in Indonesia with his wife, Emma, and three children. He was well known for his gorgeous photography and videography captured from inside the waves he rode.
Jones' daughter, Isabella, mourned the loss of her dad in a heartbreaking Instagram tribute.
"I’m in so much disbelief right now, this doesn’t feel real. I love you so much dad and i wish i could give you one last hug. I wish i could tell you again how much i love you and thank you for being the best dad. I wish you were still here with us, you weren’t supposed to leave yet," she wrote in a caption that accompanied a series of throwback photos of her and her dad. "This is too soon. I know you are in a good place now with nana vi, and your friends. I wish this never happened and we could just wake up and go surf together tomorrow morning."
Isabella confirmed that her dad "got into a bad surfing accident and didn't make it."
"Im happy he was doing what he loved the most," she continued. "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 a**es off. Thank you for teaching me so many life lessons, and always being there for me. I wish you were still here with us right now. I will always be think about you dad ❤️ i love you so much, thank you for everything ❤️ fly high 🕊️ ur a f**king legend"
In a statement on its website, the brand REEF issued a statement on Jones' passing.
"We honor a father, an explorer of uncharted surf, and arguably one of the most barreled surfers on the planet. You made us wonder with just enough healthy FOMO. Mikala made it a priority to preserve and respect these sacred discoveries. At times, when lucky enough to join that coveted surf trip with a personal invite..an overzealous Jedi would ask for more info...he would respectfully reply: 'Too many questions.' You would just have to watch the master at work," the statement read.
"Mikala was a surfing savant. An artist ahead of his time painting his canvas on waves like no other. A contemporary surfing POV content creator ahead of his time. Setting a high bar of quality and new angles as you see in the iconic photo above, would never miss that impeccable timing of light. As a longtime Reef family member, our thoughts and peace go out to his family, loved ones and everyone who had the pleasure he came across. 1 of 1 kind of human who lived with gratitude, grace, wisdom and most importantly kindness for all."
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