Tommy Gun is a freaking legend! I was born and raised in Hawaii! Mr. Carrol with his aggro style inspired me and all my surfing buddies! Those snaps under the lip at Pipe were, and are to this day way beyond what is humanly possible! I had the honor of meeting him in the late 80's and told him how much of an impact he had on us Hawaiian surfers. He is the epitome of the word Legendary!
Good on ya Tom and Nick. I grew up surfing Newport Peak with you guys in the 80s and you are to bloody good a human being to let it get the better of you. All the best mate.
I grew up in SoCal watching my 2 favorite surfers: Tommy Carroll and Tommy Curren. Great to see him doing well and to Nick and his family for standing with him through it all. Now I must go and call my brother and tell him I love him. - Tommy Slawson
I'm 75 years on this planet with over 36 years clean so I know his story but not the man. Much respect! Stay on the path. You are inspiring people you don't even know both young & old!
I always wondered what happened to Tom. I never had knew it was drugs. Like a lot of people that I surfed with, a lot of us have had drug problems. Best of luck to Tom.
Amazing story. I have so many friends who have had or still battle drugs. I'm sorry Tom had his time but stoked he came through it. I met him in California not too long ago. Super cool to hang out with him for a chat in the water. He let me go in front on a wave, Thanks Tom!
Tom is still and always be one of surfing heroes,despite me being a yank and him an aussie,I always liked and respected him,even met him once at a surf contest in oceanside ca,in the 80s
I’m from Oceanside, CA! ……too young to have met him at that contest, but believe me I would’ve been there had I been…one of my top 5 favorite styles for sure
Nick, I miss surfing with you @ Lowers...been a long time. Thank you both for going public; couldn't help but cry in a couple places. Collected my 24th chip not long ago, but the pain of memory is still just under the surface, which is OK. Good reminder not to go there again. My own brothers have been a huge help to me in my own recovery. You've got my respect and prayers. There is only one day. Thanks for living it!
Two very talented and loyal brothers. So much stoke watching Tom and reading Nick and their contributions to the sport of surfing. And now their contributions to being human. God Bless you both.
You need only mention the name "Tom" in my house over many year's and EVERYONE knew who was being referred to. He's a national treasure and a folk hero and the guy tore the bag out of it from a very young age. We ALWAYS knew he was the best. Seeing him with his journalistic - giant of a brother, editor and fantastic surfer in his own right, possessed of a great mind for surf reporting and writing on "the state of the art" over many year's and spanning generations, Nick Carroll has no equal. Seeing them together reaching out to such a wide audience is ALL TIME and there is such mutual respect. I'm a few month's younger than Tom, I hail from Maroubra and can very easily relate to this tale of extracting one's self from the rabbit - hole - nightmare of addiction, being a "high functioning" addict, yet so torn up inside from the inner conflict. This makes him even greater, if that doesn't sound passe. Par excellence "Tom"!
you are a natural born leader, champion, and we have faith you can beat this like many other obstacles you have beaten throughout your life; my prayers are with you brother
Tom Carroll a real man to have conquered uR journey through life , on life's terms now by staying clean ,an always will be, an is the best Surfer of all times amongst a lot of others,but whom became champion of two world titles an simply hands down ,an still happens to be all time world's best as well as being a father ,brother, friend, an true legend in the sport of surfing. Congrats Tom C. Truthfully a Mate keep up the real truth about living an honest surreal life now an again as was ment to be. In God's Speed, God bless The Carroll family an with many more blessed days to come.
Aussie charger, I loved watching him surf, im glad for your brother Tom and glad your man enough to admit it then put it behind you and live a great life...respect from an average Aussie surfer.
I wanted Jeff to beat Tom in 1990 at Pipe but Tom was clearly the best. Stay clean buddy. I certainly didn't find this video without thinking of TC first and searching his name. Truly a legend and master at Pipeline
My younger brother hates my guts. 60 years and counting. Things won't change. This video really hits home. Wish my relationship could be this close. Too bad.
Good on you Tom. To this day when I think about power surfing, I think of Tom in, I think, the movie Performers. Maxing Pipe, where most would pull in he’s cranking off the bottom and gouging. Legend.
Your a good man nick !!!!!!!! Remember well back in the day watching the brothers surfing. Plenty of surfs at the peak, south av, north av, la, the wedge, northy and even Mona vale when Mona’s flicked the switch into monawatu years ago all when Tom was out charging. Drugs sadly are the ruination of good humans !! Hope your still clean Tom hey. Up byron way now, had some surfs with Derek and his “sliding” is a sight to see. And nick ? Great waterman also !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good wishes bro’s 🙂
saw this guy in the pipeline masters. he took off late and hugged his rail to the wave. i realized that there maybe only a few people in the world that could pull off that maneuver. Fucking Amazing.
I lived next door to Tom Carroll on Ke Iki road back in the early 80’s; no one charged Pipe as much as Tom, that I saw. And as I remember, he was the only one - or one of the very few - that wore a helmet back then. Did not know him personally but he always seemed humble except when I saw him charging Pipeline. I agree; a living legend. Glad he’s still with us.
A great surfer for his time certainly not ever... Tom nice guy sounds like he had a few tough knocks , all the best mate but very self centred like most of surf community.. I found media wise nick was very narcitistic.. but awesome to hear he had an eye for his brother .
So do all these confessions make Tom Carroll a false world surf champion? Drugs used in sport means their trophies arent even valid : so please remove all his trophies immediately: you know, just like all the rest of them : thank you
He comes across as a man who knows who he is, who sees things clear eyed, and is in total control of his mind and emotions. And that is someone not to be trifled with.
Do you think Tom would've found that funny? Weird and shallow sense of humour! Don't know where you came up with those insights of who I am by my brief comment. Must be talking about something that you're familiar with