On Sunday, surfer Makai McNamara wiped out at Pipeline on Oahu’s North Shore and was pulled from the ocean unresponsive, in a dramatic rescue. His father Liam McNamara posted Monday on social media that his son was recovering at Queen’s Medical Center and was “doing well.” 

What You Need To Know

  • On Sunday morning, lifeguards responded through a rising swell, secured the 29-year-old surfer onto a rescue board and paddled him to shore. Other surfers also helped bring McNamara to shore

  • McNamara is in the ICU at Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu, where he will be “kept asleep for the next 72 hours in order to heal the best,” according to Landon McNamara, his younger brother

  • Liam McNamara, the father, said that Makai was “doing well” and “on his road to recovery”

  • Both family members asked people to continue to send positive energy and prayers

The surf was about 8-10 feet at the time of the incident, according to Honolulu Ocean Safety. 

McNamara is a member of a prominent North Shore surf family: the son of Pipe legend and Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational contest director Liam McNamara, the nephew of Big Wave surfer Garret McNamara, and older brother of musician and surfer Landon McNamara. 

On Sunday morning, lifeguards responded through a rising swell, secured the 29-year-old surfer onto a rescue board and paddled him to shore. Other surfers also helped bring McNamara to shore, according to a news release.  

Once onshore, Honolulu Ocean Safety staff performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and placed an automated external defibrillator (AED) onto McNamara. After several rounds of CPR, McNamara regained a pulse.

Honolulu Emergency Medical Services began administering advanced life-support. EMS then transported the patient in critical condition, continuing to perform life-saving treatment as they headed to an emergency room. 

Landon McNamara, the younger brother of Makai and the most recent winner of the Eddie, posted on social media, thanking first responders and surfers for helping his brother. He wrote how scary it was “not seeing him come up after falling on that wave.” He wrote about wishing he had done more to help his brother and had gotten to him quicker, but reiterated his thanks to those who helped Makai. “They brought him back to life on the beach. There was life back in his eyes. He spoke words. The feelings where overwhelming,” wrote Landon McNamara.  

Makai is in the ICU at Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu, where he will be “kept asleep for the next 72 hours in order to heal the best,” according to Landon, who posted on Sunday. He asked everyone to send healing energy and prayers to his older brother. “He is so strong and has so much life left in him,” wrote Landon. 

Liam McNamara, the father, posted an Instagram reel on Monday around 10 a.m., saying that Makai was “doing well” and “on his road to recovery.” He said Makai feels the love and positive energy that everyone is sending and asked people to continue the prayers. “Makai is a strong young man, and he’s going to get through this.”  

Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.

Editor's note: A video and social media post that were embeded into this article were removed after they were taken down by the original posters. (March 3, 2025)