RIP Andy Irons. Legends never die.
Hawaii’s surfing community and board fans around the world were shocked to hear of the passing of three-time World Champion, Andy Irons, who died in a hotel room in Dallas, Texas while returning home to Hawaii after a surf contest in Puerto Rico, where he was reportedly too sick to complete competing.
Jodi Wilmott of Ocean Promotion said in a statement, “Irons, 32, withdrew from a professional surfing event in Puerto Rico last weekend due to illness and passed away during a layover en-route to his home in Kauai, Hawaii, were he checked into a hotel in Dallas, Texas. He had reportedly been battling with dengue fever, a viral disease.” Irons was on his way home from the Rip Curl Pro Search Puerto Rico, which he withdrew from due to illness, reportedly dengue fever, which he acquired in either Portugal or Puerto Rico.
Dengue (pronounced den” gee) is a disease caused by any one of four closely related viruses (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, or DEN-4). The viruses are transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. In the Western Hemisphere, the Aedes aegypti mosquito is the most important transmitter or vector of dengue viruses, although a 2001 outbreak in Hawaii was transmitted by Aedes albopictus. It is estimated that there are over 100 million cases of dengue worldwide each year.
Irons reportedly flew to Miami where he spent two days on an IV drip but then insisted on going home to Hawaii to see his regular doctor, Surfing Life reports.
Irons and his younger brother Bruce are from Hanalei, Kauai’s north shore. Both the Irons’ Brothers skyrocketed to fame at early ages, showing great talent and promise in the water. They have hosted the Irons Pine Tree Classic Surf contest for the past few years, and have been seen as mentors for the grom surf community of Kauai.
