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Surfing champ Derek Ho dead at 55

Family, friends and the surfing world is mourning the death of former world champion Derek Ho.

The first Native Hawaiian men’s world surfing champion died of a heart attack Friday at the age of 55, according to KHON.

“You knew every time there was a good swell he was going to be out there and he was going to get the best wave and high-five everyone on his way back out to the lineup,” said friend Brian Bielmann to KHON.

Legacy.com reports Ho will be remembered for being a four-time triple crown of surfing champion (1984, 1986, 1988, and 1990), and two-time Pipeline Masters champion (1986 and 1993).

“I know Derek’s up in heaven and he’s in that happy place,” said Bret Marumoto to Hawaii News Now, who worked with Ho. “Just if everyone can somehow, when you paddle out in surf, think of Derek Ho. This is a hard one, he’s gonna be truly missed.”

After winning his last title in 1993, Ho said to KHON “It’s kind-of Peter Pan story, but a Cinderella type of thing. But here we are, here it is, and it feels really great,” he said.

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