Hawaiian surfing legend Sunny Garcia says his first words after he was found unconscious in his home

Hawaiian surfing legend Vincent ‘Sunny’ Garcia has spoken his first words nearly five months after he was found unconscious in his Oregon home amid a battle with depression.

Sunny’s eldest daughter Kaila Garcia took to Instagram on Tuesday to update his fans on his progress.

‘We are taking one day at a time and celebrating each little triumph,’ she wrote. 

‘My dad is a warrior and fighting everyday to get better and stronger.’ 

Kaila said her father has said a ‘few words’ and is undergoing daily physical, speech and occupational therapy. 

‘My family and I thank you for your continued support for my dad as he continues to heal,’ she wrote.

Sunny’s eldest daughter Kaila Garcia took to Instagram to update his fans on his progress after he was rushed to hospital on April 29

‘It’s going to be a marathon not a sprint but we work every day to make sure he is surrounded with love, laughter and ohana [family].’

Kaila shared a photo of her father in a wheelchair alongside his first wife and mother of his three children. 

In a GoFundMe page set up for the 49-year-old, Garcia’s family described him as a ‘warrior’ who is ‘fighting everyday to get better and stronger’. 

‘We are taking one day at a time and celebrating each little triumph.’ 

So far more than $127,000 has been raised from the $150,000 goal. 

Garcia was discovered at his Oregon property in the US before he was rushed to hospital in April this year. 

After a few weeks he was off sedation but still in a coma while doctors treated his kidney and liver.  

Garcia is a record six-time Hawaiian Triple Crown Champion, 2000 ASP World Champion and an inductee in the Surfing Walk of Fame.

But behind closed doors, the celebrated surfer is known to have wrestled with depression.

Though behind all the fame and glamour, Garcia is known to have wrestled with depression (pictured, Garcia celebrates his win at 2000 surfing competition)

Though behind all the fame and glamour, Garcia is known to have wrestled with depression (pictured, Garcia celebrates his win at 2000 surfing competition)

Garcia is a six-time Hawaiian Triple Crown Champion and a 2000 ASP World Champion

Garcia is a six-time Hawaiian Triple Crown Champion and a 2000 ASP World Champion

In a 2014 Instagram post he revealed he had been struggling with the condition. 

‘Depression is no joke,’ he posted at the time.

‘Waking up feeling like you’re ready to take on the world, then a couple of hours later, feeling down on life and wondering what’s wrong with you.

‘Well, I know I’m not alone and I’m not sure what’s wrong with me because I have no reason to feel the way I do and it’s been happening for about two years.’ 

As recent as early April 2019, Garcia admitted he had been having some ‘bad days’.

‘Doesn’t get easier you just get stronger so as long as you keep fighting to be better life can be beautiful,’ he said in a post.

‘And sure we might have those moments when you just want to give up but you have made it so far so keep fighting.

‘I’ve been having some bad days but I’m back to training and seriously been feeling a lot better.’ 

Garcia’s admission to hospital sent shockwaves through the surfing community, with Kelly Slater posting a heartbreaking plea to Instagram. 

‘I love you, brother. I just can’t even fathom you not here, ‘ he wrote. 

Surf legend Kelly Slater posted a heartbreaking plea to Instagram following the shocking news in April

Surf legend Kelly Slater posted a heartbreaking plea to Instagram following the shocking news in April 

Sunny, 49, was discovered at his Oregon property in the US before he was rushed to hospital earlier this year

Sunny, 49, was discovered at his Oregon property in the US before he was rushed to hospital earlier this year 

‘We’ve got so much more living to do before we are done. There’s been hard times but there have been so many good ones, too. Just praying you wake up and we get more of you.’ 

Only the day before he was discovered at his home, Garcia made a life-affirming post to social media alongside a photo of himself as a young boy.

‘If I told this kid the things he would go through and things he would achieve he would tell me I’m crazy lol.

‘Wow it’s been a crazy ride since this photo was taken.’ 

In the photo, a sun-kissed Garcia smiles broadly at the camera while enjoying a cold summer treat. 

The surfing legend was raised in Wai’anae, a neighbourhood in Hawaii, where he was able to nurture his love for the surf. 

He made his debut at the young age of 17 in the 1986 Gotcha Pro at Sandy Beach.

He proved himself a force to be reckoned with after defeating the 1984 World Champion Tom Carroll.

The achievements of Vincent ‘Sunny’ Garcia

Vincent ‘Sunny’ Garcia made his debut in the professional surfing world at the age of 17 and managed to catapult his way to the top. He is the second surfer to win more than $1 million in prize money and famously defeated 1984 World Champion Tom Carroll at his debut competition back in 1986.

He has also collected a trove of trophies throughout his career. Below is a short list of some of Garcia’s most notable achievements:

  • ASP’s Men’s Most Improved award (1987/88) 
  • ASP’s Men’s Most Improved award (1990) 
  • Winner of the Triple Crown of Surfing (1992, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2004)
  • Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach winner (1995, 1996, 2000) 
  • ASP WCT World Champion (2000)
  • Winner of Vans Hawaiian Pro (2004) 
  • Surfing Walk of Fame inductee (2010)

 

A former world champion, Garcia was the second surfer to win $1 million in prize money.

He finished in the top 10 year end rankings without fail between 1990 and 2000 and holds the record for the most World Qualifying Series wins, with a total of 22.

The pro surfer has also won the Rip Curl Pro Bells three times and appeared as a finalist in the competition five times. 

Garcia briefly retired from competition in 2005, though returned to the surfing world a couple of years later.

While Garcia has become a tour-de-force in the surfing world, he has also had to deal with his fair share of trouble.

Garcia spent a brief time in prison for tax fraud charges in 2007 after failing to report $US471,000 in overseas winnings from 1996 to 2001. 

He was once again brought into view over an alleged assault against young surfer Adam Clarke at the Gold Coast, Queensland in 2011. 

For anyone in need of advice or assistance contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.  

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