Kelly Slater is one of the greatest surfers of all time, but after saving the lives of a woman and her son who'd been swept away by a wave on Thursday, Slater can now claim the title of hero as well.
Pro photographer Chris White reported that his wife, Sarah, and young son, Van, had been ambushed by a powerful Hawaiian wave when the 11-time World Surf League champion, 41, sprung to action and saved them both.
The next morning, White thanked Slater profusely in a caption accompanying an Instagram photo of a curling wave.
"So thankful the surf gods denied @kellyslater today [because] for whatever reason he was right there to save my wife and kid who were swept across a road by a freak wave today," reads White's caption. "Forever grateful to the great man and so thankful my family is alive and safe."
