Riding Giants
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1:00:03
In later interviews, Parsons said:
1:00:06
"I felt Brock trying
to get to the surface."

1:00:10
But what he didn't realize
at the time...

1:00:13
...Brock was up and, you know...
1:00:15
...it was Foo trying to get
to the surface.

1:00:18
Which kind of...
1:00:19
It kind of confirms that he was being
held down by something.

1:00:27
I went and examined
his body, actually.

1:00:30
There really wasn't
any discernible injury.

1:00:33
He had a slight scratch
on his forehead.

1:00:38
His countenance, actually...
1:00:41
...was not that of one
who had sort of struggled...

1:00:44
...or who had been in anguish.
1:00:49
I felt, surfing at Mavericks
the years prior to that...

1:00:52
...that someone would die.
I didn't think it would be Mark Foo...

1:00:56
...but somebody who didn't
know what they were in for.

1:00:59
Mark Foo was this guy who was
larger than life to us, you know.

1:01:03
A guy more invincible than any of us,
with more experience than any of us.

1:01:08
He's the guy that said,
"To catch the ultimate thrill...

1:01:11
...you gotta be willing
to pay the ultimate price."

1:01:14
Everyone wanted to understand
what killed him. That was important.

1:01:18
Because they were trying
to assess the risk...

1:01:21
...in the face
of their sudden mortality.

1:01:23
As it sunk in,
I didn't think that could happen.

1:01:26
- I didn't think that could happen.
- I thought I was invincible.

1:01:30
You know, I didn't think... I thought
I could huck myself over any ledge...

1:01:34
...and pop back up laughing,
you know.

1:01:36
And I think a lot of big-wave
riders have that belief.

1:01:40
When it comes down to it,
it's up to me whether I live or die.

1:01:44
It's up to me whether
I go on a wave or not.

1:01:48
While an extravagant funeral
was planned for Foo in Hawaii...

1:01:51
... surfers from up and down
the California coast...

1:01:54
... gathered at Mavericks for a quiet
tribute to their fallen comrade.


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