By William Jones, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Brazilian surf star Maya Gabeira has sensationally returned to surfing after narrowly escaping death and breaking her ankle while surfing in Nazaré, Portugal two months ago. The surfing starlet completed her incredible comeback by getting back to the waves in Hawaii and announced to her fans that her promise to be back in action in early 2014 had been completed.
The 26-year-old professional big wave surfer had to be pulled to the shore and given CPR treatment after trying to surf a giant wave on the surf known as the Nazaré canyon in Portugal on October 28th last year. Despite only being admitted to the hospital for 24 hours on the European coast, she has completed her rehabilitation in a very short period of time to hit the world’s waves once more in the U.S. state of Hawaii with the help of an ankle shield.
“2014 and back to the sea,” Maya Gabeira announced on social media. “Thanks to everyone for their support and to my team a thousand,” she added. Her life was saved by fellow Brazilian and professional surfer Carlos Burle, from Pernambuco, who managed to drag his fellow Brazilian surfer to safety.
Gabeira’s career has, so far, been short but no less incredible than her miraculous escape from death. In 2009, she was awarded the ESPY (Excellent Sports Performance of The Year award) by U.S. sports television network ESPN for her participation in surfing and during the same year surfed the biggest ever wave ridden by a female off the coast of South Africa knows as ‘Dungeons.’
Read more (in Portuguese).
* The Rio Times Daily Updates feature is offered to help keep you up-to-date with important news as it happens.