When the First Lady of Surfing, Rell Sunn was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 32, she was told she had months to live. She lived each day as if it were her last -- with complete passion and compassion -- and lived another 15 years. When I posted that each year during the Luau & Longboard Invitational event to raise money for the Moores UC San Diego Cancer Center, the Rell Sunn-Queen of Makaha Award in memory of Rell Sunn is given to honor the person or organization that best displays the qualities of compassion, unselfishness, aloha spirit and dedication in the fight against cancer -- I went in search to learn more about Rell Sunn.
On the tribute page is a description of a woman of phenomenal inspiration in the person she was and the life she lived. Much beloved by all who knew her, Rell is described as an unselfish and humble woman who gave freely of herself to all who met her. Her professional and personal accomplishments make her a legend in the surfing world. She conquered all water sports -- surfing, bodysurfing, spearfishing, and open-water outrigger canoeing -- and is credited with establishing the Women's Professional Surfing Association and founding the women's pro surfing tour.
Rell was a role model, swimwear model, radio personality, motivational speaker, hula instructor, and volunteered for numerous groups -- including support of children's surfing and her annual Menehune Surf Contest -- held exclusively for children at Makaha beach.
It is said, that Rell Sunn often explained of her life philosophy, "The aloha spirit is real simple. You give and you give and you give . . . and you give from here (the heart), until you have nothing else to give."
As part of the tribute, it states Rell Sunn was a quintessential water-woman. I think she was a quintessential human being, and though I never got a chance to meet her in person, I feel a better person for knowing about her. There are some who inspire long after they have left this world because they lived the best of who we have the capacity to be in this world. In 1998, Rell Kapolioka'ehukai Sunn passed away at the age of 47.
To learn more about Rell Sunn, visit the Queen of Makaha, Heart of the Sea official Rell Sunn website.
