How old was Jay Moriarity when he died?
While Jay Moriarity died at the ripe age of 22, he became one of the biggest legends in surfing history. Come dive in with us as we explore the life of Jay Moriarity. More... 1.2 Who Was The Real Rick "Frosty" Hesson? 1.6 Where Did The Name Mavericks Come From?
How did Jay Moriarity die free diving?
Also, how did Jay Moriarity die free diving? Moriarity died a day before his 23rd birthday on Friday, June 15, 2001, in the Indian Ocean off the coast of the island Lohifushi in the Maldives, drowning in a freediving accident. In Lohifushi for an O'Neill photo shoot, he went free-diving alone but was not seen after.
What was the cause of death of Chris Moriarity?
Moriarity died a day before his 23rd birthday on Friday, June 15, 2001, in the Indian Ocean off the coast of the island Lohifushi in the Maldives, drowning in a freediving accident. Moriarity was in Lohifushi for an O'Neill photo shoot, went free-diving alone and was not seen after. A search party recovered his body late Friday night.
Where was Jay Moriarity's funeral?
Watch video of Jay Moriarity's funeral service held on June 26, 2001 at Pleasure Point near Santa Cruz, CA. Towards the end of the video, you can see hundreds of surfers throwing water into the air in honor of Jay, which corresponds to the scene at the end of the Chasing Mavericks movie.
What caused Jay Moriarity to drown?
Jay drowned after free diving alone as part of his routine training schedule in deep water. A search party recovered his body late Friday night. Jay Moriarity was born in Georgia, but moved when he was very young to Santa Cruz, California and dedicated his life to the ocean and big wave surfing.
Is Jay Moriarty still alive?
June 15, 2001Jay Moriarity / Date of death
Is Frosty still alive?
The 69-year-old is best known for his mentorship of the late surfing great Jay Moriarity, who built his reputation surfing big waves at Mavericks in Half Moon Bay and died in a drowning accident at age 22 while freediving in the Maldives.Nov 6, 2018
Where is Jay Moriarity buried?
June 26, 2001Jay Moriarity / Date of burial
Was Jay Moriarity's body ever found?
Details were sketchy yesterday about what exactly happened to Moriarity, who had gone free diving on Friday morning. Friends became concerned when he did not show up for lunch or dinner, and found his drowned body in the water near the dive spot.Jun 18, 2001
Did they ever find Jay Moriarity?
Moriarity died a day before his 23rd birthday on Friday, June 15, 2001, in the Indian Ocean off the coast of the island Lohifushi in the Maldives, drowning in a freediving accident. Moriarity was in Lohifushi for an O'Neill photo shoot, went free-diving alone and was not seen after.
Does Frosty Hesson still surf?
Richard "Frosty" Hesson has never quit surfing, in its many angles. The Mavericks master kept catching waves and started a successful career in surf training and coaching. The mentor of Jay Moriarity is a blonde-turned-platinum hair gentleman. He is seen at Pleasure Point, almost every day.Nov 15, 2012
Did Kim Moriarity ever remarry?
Kim has since remarried and now goes by the name Kim Moriarity Wildey. That day was a catalyst for turning a devastating and unimaginable tragedy into a positive movement.Apr 4, 2018
Can Gerard Butler surf?
The Scottish actor, who stars as real-life surfer Frosty Hesson in Chasing Mavericks, described his surfing skills as non-existent before he started working on the film. “Surfing ability for me was pretty much zero,” the actor told The Hollywood Reporter. “After [the movie], was maybe just a little bit worse.”Oct 26, 2012
How old was Jay Moriarity died?
22 years (1978–2001)Jay Moriarity / Age at death
What is the biggest wave ever surfed?
The official Guinness World Record for the largest wave ever surfed is currently held by Brazil's Rodrigo Koxa. The 80-foot wave he caught on November 8th, 2017 at Praia do Norte, Nazaré, beat Garrett McNamara's previous record (set at the same break in Portugal) by just 2ft.Dec 16, 2021
Who died at Mavericks?
Mark FooMark FooPersonal informationDiedDecember 23, 1994 (aged 36) Mavericks, Half Moon Bay, California, USASurfing specificationsStanceRegular (natural foot)2 more rows
Who is Jay Moriarity?
Jay Moriarity. Jay Moriarity (June 16, 1978 – June 15, 2001) was a surfer from Santa Cruz, California. He was an accomplished surfer, waterman, and adventurer. As a surfer, he made his reputation surfing Mavericks in Half Moon Bay, California. At age 16, he was made internationally famous when his wipeout at Mavericks was caught on film ...
Where is the Jay Moriarity paddleboard race held?
Moriarity has an annual paddleboard race in his memory, the annual Jay Moriarity Paddleboard Race aka "The Jay Race" is held in Capitola. After his death a memorial was held for him at Pleasure Point. All of Jay's family, friends, his wife, Kim, and mentor Frosty, attended.
Where was Jay from?
Born in Augusta, Georgia on June 16, 1978, Jay and his family moved to Santa Cruz, California, when he was just a baby. His father was an army ranger and traveled most of the time. Jay began surfing at age 9 and rode his first waves at Sewer Peak. Not limited to either a shortboard or a longboard, he was known as a versatile surfer who appreciated ...
How old was Jay when he was on the cover of Surfer magazine?
At age 16 , he was made internationally famous when his wipeout at Mavericks was caught on film and made the cover of Surfer magazine. Although a successful competitor, Jay is remembered as a soul surfer, winning many sportsmanship awards throughout his career.
Where is Jay Moriarty?
Enlarge Image. Jay Moriarty was born on June 16, 1978, in Santa Cruz California. He was just a regular kids doing regular stuff like going to school and playing until one day when he saw his neighbor going for surfing and followed him. It ended up igniting the passion for surfing inside the little Moriarty and the passion never died.
How long did Jay hold his breath?
For his surfing tutorials, Jay learned to hold his breath for 4 minutes and also to paddle long distances. This made him physically strong and mentally prepared for big waves. The plot of the movie is a bit different than his actual life but is very encouraging to watch.
Why did Moriarty bunk his classes?
He used to bunk his classes in order to go to the sea and watch people surf. His father always traveled across the sea and so he learned all aspects of swimming from him.
When did Jay Moriarity die?
The real Jay Moriarity died on June 15, 2001, the day before his 23rd birthday, while free-diving in the warm, calm, clear waters of the Indian Ocean in the Maldive Islands. He was in the Maldives for a photo shoot for his sponsor O'Neill.
Where was Jay Moriarity's funeral?
Jay Moriarity Funeral Footage. Watch video of Jay Moriarity's funeral service held on June 26, 2001 at Pleasure Point near Santa Cruz, CA. Towards the end of the video, you can see hundreds of surfers throwing water into the air in honor of Jay, which corresponds to the scene at the end of the Chasing Mavericks movie.
How many essays did Jay Moriarity write for Frosty?
Before he allowed Jay to paddle out at Mavericks, the real Jay Moriarity completed 55 essays for Frosty, mostly on the subject of surfing. Each essay was at minimum two pages long. Then a lengthy two-hour discussion would take place, often after revisions to the original essay.
What happened in the movie Chasing Mavericks?
In the Chasing Mavericks movie, a young Jay gets swept into the water after saving Kim's dog. Frosty then paddles over and rescues Jay. In real life, the rescue never happened. Jay first met Frosty in 1990 when he was twelve and approached him at his van at Pleasure Point in Santa Cruz to ask Frosty to teach him about surfing. -Making Mavericks.
How long did Frosty train Jay?
Frosty had been training Jay for two and a half years before Jay even brought up the possibility of Mavericks, and it would be another year and a half before Frosty let him paddle out at Half Moon Bay. -Making Mavericks.
When did Jay Moriarity wipeout happen?
Jay's legendary wipeout took place on December 19, 1994 when he was just sixteen. Watch the Jay Moriarity Wipeout Video. On that day, the sets that rose from the chilly 50-degree water were pushing twenty feet. Jay went straight to the peak and began paddling for a wave.
How far down did Jay go?
"He went down there, with no mask, no fins," says his widow Kim Moriarity, who estimates that Jay was 80 feet below the surface.
Chasing Mavericks
Most people find out about Jay Moriarity through "Chasing Mavericks," a 2012 film that portrayed him as a young surfer discovering one of the biggest waves in the world next to his home in Santa Cruz, California.
Who Was The Real Rick "Frosty" Hesson?
Rick "Frosty" Hesson was 45 at the time he met Jay Moriarity. At the time Rick met Jay, Jay was only 13.
Jay Moriarity Wipeout At Mavericks
Jay began surfing big waves out at Mavericks, a famous cold water peak next to Pillar Point in Half Moon Bay when he was just a teenager. Contrary to what the movie implies, Jay Moriarity's first attempts at Mavericks were not wipeouts. In fact, he had been surfing Mavericks for a few months before wiping out on the big wave.
Jay Moriarity's Death
Jay Moriarity passed away on June 15, 2001, a single day before his 23rd birthday. Jay was spending time free diving in the warm Maldives water off the coast of the island Lohifushi. During the time, he was practicing holding his breath for his big wave surfing attempts at Mavericks.
The Best Jay Moriarity Quote
Bob Pearson, one of the most legendary surfers in Santa Cruz, designed surfboards for Jay Moriarity and Frosty Hesson back in the day. He remembers the young surfer very well, noting that Jay "taught people how to live."
Final Thoughts - Remembering Jay Moriarity
While locals in Santa Cruz never quite recovered from losing surfing legend Jay Moriarity, his spirit and love for surfing lives on. Many surfers still follow in his footsteps, surfing the incredible waves out in Santa Cruz.

Overview
Life
Born in Augusta, Georgia on June 16, 1978, Jay and his family moved to Santa Cruz, California, when he was just a baby. His father was an army ranger and traveled most of the time. Jay began surfing at age 9 and rode his first waves at Sewer Peak. Not limited to either a shortboard or a longboard, he was known as a versatile surfer who appreciated all aspects of surfing. This appreciation was rooted in an overall love for the ocean, seen in his accomplishments as a swim…
Memorial Paddleboard Race
Moriarity has an annual paddleboard race in his memory, the annual Jay Moriarity Paddleboard Race aka "The Jay Race" is held in Capitola. After his death a memorial was held for him at Pleasure Point. All of Jay's family, friends, his wife, Kim, and mentor Frosty, attended.
See also
• Mavericks, California
• Chasing Mavericks (2012 film)
External links
• Jay Moriarity Memorial Paddleboard Race
• Frosty Hesson describes coaching Jay Moriarity to surf Maverick's.