Friday, February 7, 2025
56.7 F
Roseville

Blind Surfer Inspires Surfing Professionals

In 1992, a Brazilian father named his newborn son “Derek” after professional surfer Derek Ho. He hoped his son would become a professional surfer. At the time, Brazil was emerging as a professional surfing powerhouse. But the father’s dream quickly faded after learning his son had been born completely blind.

However, seventeen years later, and after never having surfed, that son, blind Derek Rabelo, wanted to learn surfing and ultimately surf Pipeline in Hawaii, perhaps the world’s most challenging waves. It took Derek three years to learn how to surf.

“You can just imagine the difficulty Derek had learning how to keep his balance, which is important in surfing,” said Craig James, spokesperson for the upcoming movie “Beyond Sight,” which will be released this spring and star 20-year-old Derek Rabelo. “Derek had strength training and upper-body conditioning to enable him to paddle out into the waves. Then he had to learn how to get through the break in the waves. When you’re able to see a wave and it’s breaking, you do what is called a duck dive and push your board down into the water to go underneath the wave. There’s not only strength involved, but also timing. Derek had to learn to anticipate the wave by sound and by the feel of the water.”

Derek surfed Pipeline in February 2012, and the Youtube video documenting his feat has received over 500,000 hits. (To watch, type in “Blind Surfer Derek Rabelo Surfing Pipe.”) Next, last summer, American film producer Bryan Jennings (“Soul Surfer” with Bethany Hamilton) befriended Derek and asked to make a movie of Derek’s life.

What happened next defies description. Said James, “(Nearly all) the top athletes in professional surfing wanted to be part of the film even though they wouldn’t get paid. So you have in the film seven current Association of Surfing Professionals tour surfers and ten surfing legends including Kelly Slater, Tom Curren, Laird Hamilton, and Rob Machado. The impact of this movie is that these extremely famous people in surfing have asked to be part of this film. They want to be around (Derek) because he inspires them. It’s hard enough to surf, but to do it blind on the most difficult waves in the world is amazing.”

James said the movie tagline reflects Rabelo’s lifelong Christian faith: “A True Champion Lives by Faith, Not by Sight.”



Brighter Side

Trending

Roseville welcomes US Quadball West Coast National Qualifier this weekend

Roseville, Calif. - Quadball, an action-packed sport that evolved from the Harry Potter novels, will hold its only West Coast national qualifier Saturday, Feb. 8, and Sunday, Feb. 9 at Maidu Regional Park in Roseville.

Lowest Gas Prices in Roseville, Rocklin, & Lincoln

Roseville, Calif. - Gas prices continue to push higher above the $4 per gallon mark at many locations around South Placer County. Roseville consistently remains the low price leader while Rocklin and Lincoln residents consistently pay higher energy costs across the board.

Beryozka – European Market in Rocklin

Beryozka European Market in Rocklin, Calif.

El Burrito Taqueria in Roseville

El Burrito Taqueria in Roseville. Our goal is to provide a fantastic experience for our guests. We use the best ingredients to create all of our authentic Mexican dishes.

Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy

As we age, we approach the "pausal" years. For women, it's known as Menopause. For men, it's known as Andropause. During these transitional times in life, it's as if the sex glands go into retirement and there can be a lot of changes,

Topics

Roseville welcomes US Quadball West Coast National Qualifier this weekend

Roseville, Calif. - Quadball, an action-packed sport that evolved from the Harry Potter novels, will hold its only West Coast national qualifier Saturday, Feb. 8, and Sunday, Feb. 9 at Maidu Regional Park in Roseville.

Lowest Gas Prices in Roseville, Rocklin, & Lincoln

Roseville, Calif. - Gas prices continue to push higher above the $4 per gallon mark at many locations around South Placer County. Roseville consistently remains the low price leader while Rocklin and Lincoln residents consistently pay higher energy costs across the board.

Beryozka – European Market in Rocklin

Beryozka European Market in Rocklin, Calif.

El Burrito Taqueria in Roseville

El Burrito Taqueria in Roseville. Our goal is to provide a fantastic experience for our guests. We use the best ingredients to create all of our authentic Mexican dishes.

Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy

As we age, we approach the "pausal" years. For women, it's known as Menopause. For men, it's known as Andropause. During these transitional times in life, it's as if the sex glands go into retirement and there can be a lot of changes,

Placer Conservation Authority takes step toward securing 4,245 acres of land easement acquisitions north of Lincoln

Auburn, Calif. - Approximately 4,245 acres of prime farmland, natural open space and environmental resources north of Lincoln is a step closer to being secured in perpetuity as part of the Placer County Conservation Program.

Boot Juice and Blü Egyptian in Auburn at Foothills Fillmore Feb 22

Auburn, Calif.- Keep Smilin' Promotions is bringing the much sought after Boot Juice to the Foothill Fillmore. The co-billed event also includes Blü Egyptian which has been described as "somewhere where Jimi Hendrix, Jerry Garcia, Joe Satriani & Buckethead are all infused in a Talking Heads state of mind."

Rocklin Unified and Rocklin Teachers Professional Association reach tentative agreement

Rocklin, Calif. - The Rocklin Unified School District (RUSD) and the California School Employees Association (CSEA), Chapter #773, are pleased to announce a tentative agreement for the 2024-25 academic year.

Related Articles

Local Spotlight

Mobley Pest Services in Roseville serving the community and region for over 20 years

Roseville, Calif.- Fully licensed and bonded, Mobley Pest Services in Roseville has been providing reliable pest control services for well over 20 years. Serving residents and businesses in the greater Placer and Sacramento region, Mobley Pest Services is locally owned and operated in Roseville.

Paul Black’s Solar Panel Cleaning in Roseville serving the region for over 30 years

Roseville, Calif. - Money-saving solar panels in Roseville, Rocklin and throughout South Placer County have become ubiquitous From new residential solar communities continue to big business and after market installation, solar seems to be a smart choice to shred those high monthly electric costs.

NorCal Solar and Gutter Cleaning in Roseville: Keeping Your Home Safe and Efficient

Roseville, Calif. - NorCal Solar and Gutter Cleaning, founded in 2019 by Brian Rykhlyuk shortly after graduating from Roseville High School, has quickly become a trusted name in the community for gutter cleaning and solar panel maintenance services.