A sad coda to noted surfer Tony Hardy's life…
If you live around Margaret River, you’ll know the shaper Tony Hardy and his brood. Amazing surf family. Tony is pops to surfer-bodyboarders Gene, Ryan, Brett and Josh.
All of ’em except Josh have won a State surfing title. Even his granddaughter Willow scooped one up this year to go alongside her two Small Fries crowns.
But Tony doesn’t surf much anymore, blames age, injuries. Hangs out at Nathan Rose’s surfboard factory, the joint Maurice Cole built in 1995. Uses the shower when he needs to.
He’s ruled a line through surfing,” says one Margaret River surfer.
Tony, who is sixty-seven, is what you’d call, in polite company, an eccentric. You’ll see him at Main Break, Margaret River, the wave he owned in the seventies, trimming the pig-face that has grown over the footpath. Or stopped at the side of the road in Margs with his shears trimming the bush.
On Tuesday afternoon, Tony allegedly got into a fight with his ex-wife’s husband and belted him around so badly with a paint roller (allegedly) he had to be flown to Perth via the Flying Doc service to treat his life-threatening injuries. Tony’s ex-wife was also hospitalised for injuries.
The cops caught Tony hiding in bushland later in the afternoon.
Homicide squad detectives say charges of causing grievous bodily harm and aggravated assault occasioning bodily harm may be upgraded.
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Seen him couple days before looking at packed out Huzzas, life changing moment for himself and family, , media’s job to report and for us to read – comments should be aligned with condolences and respect- thats about it.
Fuck that’s terrible all round.
Are you the same Voice of No Reason as VONR?
Leave the self flagellation, 2008 like hating on the internet at the door and all will be fine!
And congratulations on playing your part in finally killing off the comment section at STAB, where do we send the cheque?
Totally depressive. Wasn’t Tony Hardy the legend who walked around Australia with a backpack in a pair of thongs (Jandals / Flipflops for the Kiwi & US readers)?
The story I heard, Tony walked home to Tasmania, where he was born, when his marriage broke up.
I stand corrected. An epic journey nonetheless.
Also nice inclusion of Thomas the tank engine avatars and references. My autistic 5 year old would love it!
Carpel tunnel. Heavy.
On Tuesday afternoon I was not depressed.
Can we have a positive, anti depressive story tomorrow please? Maybe something like Mason Ho, Sabre Norris and Ozzie Wright all go on a surf trip together.
No, theres been enough of that. Now is the time to look deep into the darkness that lies in the center of surfings soul and look it dead in the eyes…
Also its time to have some breaky now that my coffees on
Breakfast? I’m just heading to bed
You obviously havent heard the latest on young Sabre.
Keep the tissues close by.
Oh. I just read. That is the most depressing thing I’ve read ever.
Just read the story myself. Heavy! What a champ Sabre is! Incredible courage can be seen in a quote of hers, “[t]he medical result means I need to show more heart and put in more hours than anyone else.”
We should do a letter drive where BG People™ can send Derek letters of encouragement. Properly reviewed by Derek and forwarded on to the Norris family. Just a thought. I remember her saying how much a fan of BG she is.
Wha happen