Iconic Hawaiian surfboard shaper reportedly close to death, “What’d he do? He brought about the first shortboards, and there’s nobody could say he didn’t do it. He was there!” 

“He’s not some damn vegetable, that’s for sure,” says Pat Rawson. “He’s a fighter.”

Dick is Sick. 

Eighty-five-year-old Richard Brewer, Shaper of shapers, just left the hospital to return home to Kauai’s Princeville to rest with his wife, Sherry. While test results won’t come back until next week, it looks like Dick’s blood might be betraying him, possibly the bone marrow, according to Sherry.

However, reports suggesting that Dick is refusing treatments and transfusions are dung. It’s an insurance issue that’s putting them in a tight spot; if the Brewer’s accept hospice care, any possibly needed transfusions won’t be covered. 

A wicked rock―hard place game for one of surfing’s greatest protagonists.

Brewer’s shaping legacy stretches from Reno and Gerry in the 60’s (We forgive them for the Lotus poses) to Bruce in the new millennium. 

Until a few months ago, Dick was still driving the planer, creating a logjam for his glassers.  

But life pivots without asking and the goal now is to simply make him as comfortable as possible.

“Dick’s gotten real quiet since the hospital,” says Sherry.  “but people have been coming over and talking stories and showing him pictures of himself. It’s real nice.”

One of his biggest angels is Pat Rawson, another shaping patriarch. The two have been together since 1972, teaching and learning their art. Once he heard about Dick’s condition, he flew right over to support Dick and Sherry. 

Pat told me, “Someone asked this morning, ‘What did he do?’

“What’d he do? He brought about the first shortboards, and there’s nobody could say he didn’t do it. He was there!” 

Rawson remembers the tensions during those times, too.

“Dick had a lot of enemies in the day, though. He had a certain a way of doing things. Some of the older guys and him didn’t get along good. (They liked me ‘cause I’d go down and buy the beers for them, roll the joints.) It was just like throwing too many dogs in the backyard. It was tough for everybody to get along. But there are millions of people who love Dick Brewer. You can’t take away anything from him. Nobody can.”  

Rawson is optimistic about Dick’s prognosis.

“He’s not some damn vegetable, that’s for sure,” says Pat. “He’s a fighter.”

All good things, they say, must come to an end sooner or later. By all accounts Dick’s life has been a good thing. Still is.

Sherry is looking for some solid assistance right now. She needs a few reliable people to sit with Dick, get him up and down the steps, make a few meals, offer some Costco gift cards, etc. 

If you are interested in helping, email [email protected]  

No freaks, please. 

Dick at Hanalei Pier yesterday.