Pedro Scooby suffered one of the worst wipeouts of all time at Praia do Norte in Nazaré, Portugal.
The Brazilian big wave surfer dropped into a massive left-hand wave, rode almost until the end, but ended up getting swallowed by the giant tower of whitewater.
Immediately after, Scooby got pounded by several waves until losing consciousness. Some say it was a four-wave hold-down.
The jet ski drivers on-site struggled to find him in the sea of white foam. Eighty seconds after the accident, Sebastian Steudtner spotted the Brazilian and brought him back to shore.
"I am alive. It was the worst wipeout I had in my life. I've never been so close to death," explained Scooby.
"Maya told me that when Sebastian found me, I was disoriented. Apparently, he yelled at me, and I woke up and was able to grab the jet ski. But I don't remember it. It's crazy!"
A Helping Hand
At the beach, he was given first aid. Pedro Scooby finally started vomiting saltwater and regained consciousness. Soon after, the surfer received oxygen treatment.
"I am okay now. But I was not when I left the water. I really have to thank Sebastian - he was my angel. I saved me, revived me, carried me up the beach, and gave me extra medical care to get back to my normal state."
Scooby is not the first surfer to go through a near-death experience in Nazaré. In the past, Maya Gabeira, Andrew Cotton, Ross Clarke-Jones, and others suffered at the hands of the Portuguese wave.
"I am still a bit tired, but I'm all good. The wave I caught was a beast. Life goes on. Let's celebrate!"
"So, we have to cherish life and enjoy it to the fullest. We never know when it's over. Make friends, no enemies. Enjoy each moment as if it was the last because tomorrow you may not be here," concluded the 31-year-old surfer.
The big waves of Nazaré are rarely predictable. However, there are always methods that can be adopted to survive the ride of a lifetime.