Australian surfing icon Tom Carroll is recovering after suffering a head injury during a surfing accident at North Narrabeen, just north of Sydney.
Tom Carroll, a two-time world champion and one of Australia’s most celebrated surfers, was rushed to the hospital on Wednesday morning after sustaining a head injury while surfing at North Narrabeen Surf Lifesaving Club. Lifeguards and paramedics responded quickly after seeing Carroll walk out of the water with an awkward gait and a visible wound on his head. The 63-year-old surfing legend was treated at the scene before being transported to Northern Beaches Hospital for further evaluation.
“It’s all a bit of a blur, but I must have hit something,” Carroll told The Daily Telegraph shortly after the incident. “The impact sent me over my board, and I heard a really bad electrical sound, which concerned me.”
The timing of the accident is laced with irony. Just the day before, Carroll had celebrated his 63rd birthday, and he is known for his fearless, radical surfing in big, heavy conditions. In 2012, he starred in the documentary Storm Surfers, where he pursued some of the world’s largest waves. However, the wave that led to his injury on Wednesday was far from massive—less than waist-high, on a small day at his home break.
Carroll, who has been injured numerous times throughout his four-decade career, remarked to his brother, Nick, that he would “take the stitches to the head and a sore neck anytime over various injuries” from the past. Nick, ever the source of humor, joked to SURFER magazine, “This is nothing like the fin up the bum,” referencing an infamous wipeout Carroll endured at Niijima Beach, Japan, in the 1980s.
Initial assessments by medical staff ruled out any spinal injuries. Carroll suffered a large gash on his forehead, which required four stitches. After receiving treatment, he was discharged from the hospital, although he will continue to be monitored for the rest of the week.
In an update posted to his Instagram shortly after his release, Carroll reassured his fans: “It’s OK, I’ve just got a few stitches in the head and a very sore neck. I was cleared by the docs, and I’m A-OK. I’m so thankful that I’m here, standing on my own feet, talking to you about it.”
Despite his positive outlook, Carroll admitted that he was still experiencing significant pain from the injury. “The impact sent me over my board, and I heard a really bad electrical sound, which was concerning,” he shared.
While he won’t be hitting the waves in the immediate future, Carroll’s resilience and determination are well-known, and fans can be confident that he will bounce back from this latest challenge.
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