Both of my parents are surfers, of course, so they understood where my passion for surfing was at and I guess they saw the talent that I had.

[The biggest lesson I've got is] Learning to have patience with people, just take it one step at a time in everything that you're doing and just invest time in the people that you're with ... have patience with them, even if they're not necessarily the easiest person to work with.

I think it doesn't matter if you are the best surfer in the world. I'm going to try to be the best surfer I can be. It's not all about competing and being the best. It's more about having fun and just doing what you love.

I just try to be myself and not conform to something I'm not and just continue doing what I do. I just try not to think about the fact that I'm an inspiration for people.

I'm actually not star-struck... I like to give people their own space and admire them from a distance.

Being able to turn to Jesus after the shark attack kept me alive.

You fall off the horse and you get back on.