"Learning To Breathe" is a feature-length documentary about 47-year-old professional surfing legend Anthony Ruffo, his struggles with methamphetamine addiction, and his ambitious efforts to lead his communities - both Santa Cruz and the professional surfing world - out of drug dependency and into a clearer and healthier future.
Anthony Ruffo was born and raised on the west side of Santa Cruz, CA. He is regarded as one of the "Godfathers" of the infamous Westsiders surf brotherhood.
This famous group of surfers put Santa Cruz on the surfing map. Ruffo rose to surf fame as the first champion of the Coldwater Classic in 1985 and still to this day continues to surf at a professional level.
With success came partying, with partying came addiction, and with addiction came consequences.