Eddie Aikau

Eddie sailing at seahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Aikau

Nowadays few people would risk their lives to save another, especially a stranger. Yet years ago Eddie Aikau saved hundred of them while lifeguarding at Waimea Bay. Eddie Aikau was a Hawaiian surfer and lifeguard who understood the value of his people. He had a passion for surfing the ocean, and had the courage to save lives threatened by it. Eddie was born  on May 4, 1946.  He grew up with a love for surfing and did it whenever he could. He moved to Oahu with his parents and siblings because of his father’s job. There Eddie discovered Waimea Bay and had the courage to surf the 20 ft waves there. Soon after he became a lifeguard at the bay saving over 500 lives, but sadly died in the process. Eddie’s courage made him brave and fearless. He spent his life helping others. Only certain people possess a devotion as strong as Eddie’s to be persistent enough to never give up on something they love. Eddie Aikau is a hero because of his courage to risk his life to save others and his passion for surfing.

Eddie Aikau showed tremendous courage when on an expedition in the Hôkûle. “Him and his crew were reenacting the journey of the discovery of the Hawaiian Islands. In this trip they would only use Polynesian tools to navigate, which included stars, wind, the sun, the moon, and the tide” (Jon, 2). Eddie Aikau became a legend after attempting to paddle 12 miles to shore to get help for his shipmates after their canoe was wrecked. While the Coast Guard rescued the other men, Aikau disappeared” (Jon, 2). This shows courage because Eddie put his life at risk to help the other members in his crew. Knowing no one might come to help them he attempted to travel 12 miles across the ocean on a surfboard to bring back help for his crew.  Another example of Eddie showing courage is when he braved surf that often reached 20 feet high or more to make a rescue. “He became very famous for surfing the big Hawaiian surf and won several surfing awards including First Place at the prestigious 1977 Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship” (p, 2). No normal person can brave waves four times the size of them. Eddie was determined to save lives in trouble. Proving his bravery he won several awards for surfing some of the biggest waves in Hawaii. When he was in the moment Eddie put his fear to the side to do what he loved. Risking his life to help others in need made Eddie a very courageous hero. He always knew when to do the right thing and stayed calm under pressure. Even in the deadly ocean waves.

Eddie surfing a big wavehttps://www.espn.com/

Devotion is another trait of any great hero. They must have a passion for what they do and keep persisting at it. Besides being courageous, Eddie loved what he did. He had a passion for surfing big waves and rescuing lives in the ocean. “Eddie soon became a Waikiki surf bum, surfing every day after school, before school, and even during school when there were good waves” (Jon, 3).  Eddie surfed whenever he could because it was his favorite hobby. He wanted to be the best surfer ever and was determined to keep practicing. He stuck to the things that he loved. Never giving up was one of his biggest traits. He saw value in pursuing the things you love and not letting them go. “He had no high school education, but still got the job as the first Waimea Bay lifeguard. He was the only one willing to go out in those waves to rescue people” (Jon, 4). Even though Eddie couldn’t complete high school he never stopped surfing. Besides the lack of opportunities he had for other jobs he stuck lifeguarding. Eddie had the courage to be the first ever lifeguard at Waimea Bay. At the bay there was a local curse and waves reached over 20ft. Despite all the controversy Eddie was determined to keep others safe and maintain his love for surfing. Having such a passion for surfing and saving lives endangered by the ocean made Eddie a very unique hero. The fire inside of him burned bright, and he was very passionate about what he did for a living.

Eddie lifeguarding and sailinghttps://hawaiianpaddlesports.com/ 

By braving gigantic ocean waves to save lives, Eddie Aikau is to be remembered as a Hawaiian legend forever. His devotion to big wave surfing was contagious and helped popularize surfing all over Hawaii. Courage and devotion are some of the top traits to make a hero. They are fearless and will do the right thing even when no one is watching. Plus they will have a passion to pursue their dreams. Eddie Aikau inspires me because he never gives up on what loves. He had the courage to risk his life hundreds of times for others. Being so devoted and giving his entire life the lifeguarding and surfing inspired me to never give up on the things I love. Eddie taught me if I never give up on my dreams it will always pay off. I also learned if I am brave enough to go out of the way to help others I will feel good for doing the right thing. Learning about his life taught me many skills to improve my everyday lifestyle.

Works Cited

"Conservation Movement." Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History. Ed. Thomas Riggs. 2nd ed. Vol. 1. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2015. 282-284. Student Resources in Context. Web. 29 Jan. 2016.

Jon. “Eddie Aikau.” The MY HERO Project, The MY HERO Project, Inc., 2 Apr. 2015, myhero.com/eddie_aikau.

Coleman, Stuart H. “Books.” Eddie Would Go, Mind Raising Press, 2001, www.eddiewouldgo.com/.

“Biography.” Eddie Aikau Foundation, Eddie Aikau Foundation., 2006, www.eddieaikaufoundation.org/eddie.htm.

BOISSONNEAULT, LORRAINE. EDDIE AIKAU: THE RAD LIFE OF A HAWAIIAN SURFING LEGEND. ITHAKA, 25 Feb. 2016, daily.jstor.org/the-legend-of-eddie-aikau/.