He lost his dad to suicide, surfed for 40 hours straight and
built one of Australia's most powerful mental health movements —
one wave at a time.
Blake Johnston is a World Record holder, mental health advocate,
Director of Cronulla Surfing Academy, and the man behind the
world's largest paddle out. But before any of that, he was a kid
from Cronulla who loved the ocean more than anything — and had no
idea how much he'd one day need it.
In this episode, Blake shares the full story: growing up with
ADHD in a house of many brothers, chasing a pro surfing career
that didn't quite go the distance, meeting and marrying his
partner Lauren, and then — in a single phone call on the way home
from a surf retreat — having his world shattered when he lost his
dad to suicide.
What followed was a decade of rebuilding. And then, in an act
that defied what most people would consider humanly possible, he
paddled out into five-to-six foot surf at 1 AM, and didn't come
back in for 40 hours and 7 minutes. 707 waves. A world
record.
This conversation covers grief, purpose, resilience, the ocean,
community, parenthood, and mental health.
Please note: this episode talks about depression and suicide. If
you or someone you know is struggling, free help is available
through Lifeline, call 0508 TAUTOKO, that’s 0508 828 865.
To learn more:
Get a link to Blakey’s website: https://www.swellbeing.com.au/
A link to his book, Swellbeing:
https://www.swellbeing.com.au/product/swellbeing/
And a link to the documentary (trailer and where to watch in
Aus): https://inpiecestogetherfilm.com/
–
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