Bodyboarder pulls off dramatic surfer rescue in Hawaii

A dramatic rescue unfolded on Sunday at popular surf spot Pipeline on O‘ahu’s North Shore.

Oahu, Hawaii. Image by www.bluewaikiki.com / CC BY-SA 2.0

When two-time world champion bodyboarder Andre Botha saw surfer Evan Geiselman fail to resurface after a wipeout, the bodyboarder leapt into the water. Botha swam to Geiselman and pulled his head above water. ‘His face was a dark blue, almost purple’, Botha recounted. ‘He was foaming at the mouth. His eyes were rolled back and his body was completely limp’. Botha feared the worst but dragged the unconscious surfer through crashing waves until other rescuers were able to reach the struggling pair. Geiselman regained consciousness on shore and was rushed to the hospital, where he is recovering from a head injury. Read more: hawaiinewsnow.com