"Glad I made it home amidst the onslaught."
Surf fans the world over are huddled over candles, eyes tightly shut, thinking healing thoughts as Kelly Slater moments ago revealed that he is suffering from a incapacitating illness that has laid him low just hours before the Rio Pro is set to get underway. The 11x World Champion took to Instagram and shared a cryptic body temperature image with his most ardent supporters, writing, “When my sickness started the other day. On day 5 of being sick now. Fevers, sinus, chills, headache, stomach flu, etc. Glad I made it home amidst the onslaught.”
The long list of debilitating symptoms might suggest the greatest athlete of all-time is suffering from spinal meningitis, pneumonia, malaria or a stroke.
The global surfing community, while devastated that Slater likely will be unable to travel to Brazil, is more concerned about him lasting another five days thus the candles and thoughts.
But do you think it will work?
Do you think the power of positivity will carry on the trades all the way to Slater’s home, whichever one he is currently inhabiting, and lift him off his death bed then plant him in the land of order and progress or will the man who was gifted a one-of-a-kind season-long wildcard be forced to sit this one out?
Please keep your candle lit.