‘Seconds from Death’: Surfer Breaks Neck in SoCal Wipeout

Originally posted on SURFER | By Dashel Pierson | Last updated Oct 5, 2025 6:34 PM ET

In the midst of swell from Hurricane Narda, which brought waves to many nooks and crannies in Southern California, Scott Muir was surfing near Oceanside when tragedy struck. He suffered a wipeout, went headfirst into the sand, and was paralyzed.

Now, friends, family, and the surf community are rallying to support Muir in what’s expected to be a lengthy (and costly) recovery. Check out the GoFundMe.

Also, in a new video from his hospital bed, Muir can be seen awake, moving his arms, and thanking those who’ve chipped in to help in his road to health. Watch below.

For more details on what happened, here’s the GoFundMe:

“On September 28th, while surfing with a friend in Oceanside, Scott suffered a severe spinal cord injury…surfers and lifeguards in nearby Oceanside used those same lifesaving skills to pull him from the water—seconds from death—after a wipeout drove him into the ocean floor, leaving him face-down, drowning, and paralyzed from the neck down. He was stabilized and airlifted to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla where he underwent immediate surgery to repair his fractured vertebrae.”

Muir is a husband, father, pilot, youth soccer coach, and 12-year US Air Force Veteran. It’s expected that his recovery will take 12-18 months. And during that time, since he is the family’s main breadwinner, the funds donated will go to his family in addition to his exorbitant medical bills to get him back in good health.

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As Muir said in the latest video update: “I want to say thank you so much for the outpouring of support – from people that I’ve been in daily contact with, to people I haven’t talked to in years, to people I’ve honestly probably never even met. I feel so incredibly loved, and so fortunate to have this community of people around me.”

The campaign is called” “Keep Scott Surfing.” And it’s that message that is the driving force behind this terrible tragedy, not just for Scott, but others.

Per the GoFundMe: “Keep Scott Surfing arose from the belief that this was a freak accident that shouldn’t deter Scott, his kids, or anyone else from one of life’s greatest joys - the ocean. When Scott’s kids wiped out surfing, he encouraged them to press forward, humbly understanding the ocean’s strength. Now it is time for us to help Scott do the same.”

Support Scott Muir here.

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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