TEAM

LOTUS is one of my biggest inspirations. Her surfing is powerful and fluid. She is not your typical small wave toes to the nose longboarder. She prefers big waves and hitting and floating big sections. She has a smile and energy that you can’t help but gravitate toward. Her strength and resilience is unmatched. You’d never know that she’s overcome a cerebral vascular disease called moyamoya. In 2022-2023, she’s undergone two brain surgeries that required her to travel back and forth to North Carolina.

“Both times were uncertain for me, and put me through excruciating pain. I would’ve never thought I would’ve gone to thinking it was the end, to thinking about when the next swell is. I overcame the weight of that uncertainty, which constantly played with my consciousness, by thinking of all my family and friends, and the life I haven’t lived yet.” she said.

To this day she’s living her best life.In her words, A perfect day for Lotus would start with a crispy morning surf at Hale’iwa or Makaha, followed a Spicy Ahi Roll, Hot Cheetos, and a White Monster energy drink from 7-11. While I’m munching, we would catch all the red lights home so I could have more time jamming to my playlist with old-school songs that remind me of my papa, or my other playlist with my 90s-2000s surf music.

Then, when I get home and open my computer, I would find that I only have two assignments due instead of eight. After I complete them, I would make a strawberry, banana, and blueberry smoothie before going out for another crispy surf session with no afternoon onshore winds. I would probably stay out until mid-evening, come in to drink water, then paddle right back out and stay until dark.

After that, I would go home, shower, eat my mom’s spaghetti, call my friends, and knock out.

Who is your inspiration and why?

My biggest inspiration is Aunty Megz. She’s been my mentor for a few years now and has played a big role in shaping the surfer I am today. She’s the one who introduced me to bigger waves and encouraged me to  embrace bigger turns on a longboard, giving me the confidence I need to hold my own in male-dominant line-ups.  She’s also the reason I started riding Hi-Pro’s. Aunty Megz is always pushing me way out of my comfort zone, takes me out on days that I genuinely question my life decisions - and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

You’re going on a trip around the world to chase waves, where are you going, which 3 friends are you bringing, and why?

If I went on a surf trip, I would want to go to the Telo Islands in Indo, stay at Latitude Zero, and bring Kaiya Oliva, Ka’iwa Foster, and Kaupena Keaulana because they would make the trip super fun both in and out of the water.

Shout outs/Sponsors:

Shout out to my parents for their continuous sacrifice, commitment, support, unconditional love, and, of course, all the photos and footage. Thank you to Uncle Robin for my sick quiver, Flying Diamonds for my fin setups, and Ocean Grom for the leashes I go through way too fast during winter.