Legendary big-wave surfer and Hollywood stuntman Brock Little passed away on Thursday, 18 February 2016, at the age of 48, after losing his battle to cancer.
The Hawaiian surfer’s laid back style was as contagious as his smile. He moved to Hawaii at the age of 3 from Napa, California and began surfing at the age of 7. In 1986, at only 19 years old, he finished fourth in the Quicksilver Eddie event, earning the respect of surfing community and a reputation of being fearless. In 1990, he earned second place in the Quicksilver event held in 25 to 30-foot Waimea surf, but stole the show with a gladiatorial wipeout on the biggest wave of the day and followed up by pulling into the tube on a 20-footer – a rarity in a big wave surfing competition at the time – nearly making it out.
By the early 90s, he was named as one of the best surfers at Waimea by his peers and spent the next few years showcasing his bravery in serious waves of consequence. He then went on to become one of the most accomplished stunt man and surf writers. He has been featured in surf films such as Amazing Surf Stories, The Endless Summer II, In God’s Hands, as well as Transformers, Training Day and Live Free or Die Hard
Little authored nearly 30 articles for Surfer Magazine and Surfing Magazine between 1989 and 1997, mainly travel stories and big-wave features.