Soul Surfer: Meet Bruno Hansen

Soul Surfer: Meet Bruno Hansen -

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current World Champion of the World Surfing Championship Adaptive (WASC) shares his epic story of survival and strength of the human spirit. The film Devocean has just been published on the life of the warrior spirit, the sea captain, engineer, adventurer and world traveler. Tell me about your childhood. I was born in Zimbabwe in a small town called Bulawayo (Rhodesia at the time). My parents were killed in a passenger plane over the Hunyani disaster by the freedom fighters "and were the only husband and wife survivors among the few who lived. In 1978, we moved to South Africa. Each traumatic situation in the life of my family has created a way of thinking that takes it to another level of being; creating a perspective that makes life much easier, even in difficult times has helped us to survive. What inspired your passion for the ocean? I discovered my love of water in Lake Kariba on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. One day I paddled across the lake on a wind surfing, catch a small wave, and I knew what I wanted to do. I have never seen the sea until we moved to South Africa. I decided never wanted to get out of the water again and I never!

Bruno and his self-motorcycle engineering

Tell me about your life changing accident. I came to Indonesia in 1994 as captain of a charter boat surfing in Sumatra. I returned to South Africa and on the way to the airport to return to continue the captain of the yacht, driving a convertible with a beautiful girl, we Carjacked. They shot us and the car rolled.There is a little fuzzy, but I remember they grabbed her and they fight. I was half out of the car, legs together, seat belt on, and the car rolled again, breaking my back and landing on top of the girl combustion. I put in and out of consciousness hearing his cries for hours and when the ambulance arrived, two emergency services spent hours on the fight against that take us to the hospital. There is a chance that I had been taken to hospital earlier they could have saved my legs.We had no insurance and my parents lost everything. For five years, I'm a mess. Curiously, before this accident, I'm sitting on the surf yacht Sumatra talking to a guy from our greatest fear, both agree that losing our legs. Three months later, also in South Africa, he broke every bone in his body and can not walk. A few weeks later, I'm in the same room with the same nurses who took care of my friend! I think we attract what we fear most. How did you start "living life" again? After five years of personal rehabilitation, including trips to San Diego and London for medical consultations and even a visit to a shaman in Brazil, I accepted my condition and got with my life and started sailing again. In Mozambique, I met a rich guy who liked my idea to make my own charter in Indonesia; and he actually exchanged my boat to the catamaran! This is the boat I lived for many years, even survived the tsunami in Thailand. How did you survived the 2004 tsunami? I was alone on the boat to Phuket and I had to drop anchor when it comes here tsunami! I managed to do the wave. After that, my old friend, I knew from my days charter got in touch and invited me to bring my yacht in Bali where he had a place in his Sanur beach club tie. Now I live here a dozen years and Mario is still one of my closest friends here in Bali.

Bruno Hansen surfing in Bali

How did you hit Bali? What I find with Bali is that the attitude that you arrive with is what you get in return. If you come with a negative attitude, enjoy your negative experience! If you come here with a positive vibe and just go with the flow, there is an energy here that the compounds and which can have a huge positive impact. I saw the tremendous change here since the early 90s, but the essence and spirit of Bali remains the same. You are a sea captain and dive as you free scuba diving and surfing. What was the biggest challenge after your accident I was always an avid diver so that was an easy transition ?; as an astronaut who love being in space, I naturally to fly around in the depths of the ocean. The difficult question was surfing, but I got it down. I tie my legs and uses a specially designed like a fish card. I surf with my friends, pushing waves and fought! I'm so in tune with the water and surf spot, so for me it is second nature. As surfing is to be in harmony with the water and the currents and you get to the point where you can feel the next break before seeing it.

Bruno being crowned champion of Surf World Championship Adaptive 2015

Tell us about winning the World Championship Surf Adaptive. I got to the championship; no advice, no sponsors, no team. Each country teams with physiologists, specialists and sponsors - the whole deal. With my Danish passport I represented Denmark. I borrowed an old single end and I went out and ended up winning the championship! I have this belief that, with minimal resources, we can accomplish great things as humans. I know you have a funny story! Therefew years in New Zealand, I borrowed a van and camped around. One day I paddled towards Spearfish about 700 meters offshore. Paddling back in the afternoon, I see a yacht and paddle on. I see and old friend from school, I had not seen for five years. I jump on the boat; we have a beer and eat the fish I caught.By 21 hours, I paddle back, and as I approached the shore, I see all these flashing lights, ambulance, police, divers and a forensic team to take pictures of my chair. Light a lady walking on the beach saw my chair floating in the water and called for a suicide alert!I paddle up the guy in all his gear to take pictures and say, "Hey mate, that's my chair" He looks at me shocked as I explained, I had just been to fishing After proving that I am who I say I am one of them said to me. "Bruno, one thing I must ask of you ... you look cost about $ 20,000, so next time please make a sign and hang it on your chair that says "gone fishing" How is the movie Devocean born? I went to the Australian ocean festival held in England in 2015. I met the director of the festival and showed a trailer my south African friend had introduced me to sailing. She told me to make a movie and bring it back next year. So I returned to Bali and in partnership with a filmmaker. I wanted to make a film showing what we can do in a wheelchair. So we turned and took submitted. They loved it and showed the Ocean Festival and toured the world in 2015. Maka Ramos, who made a brilliant shooting of employment and publishing, put the movie together on my budget of US $ 1,000 . What are your future projects From June, I fly to the west coast of America for a sailing race, the race in Alaska ?; just me and another guy in a wheelchair wheelchair race yacht. In July, I will give a conference in New York about my life. Then in August I'm going to Hawaii to be the Duke Ocean Fest surfing competition. Then I'll hang out in California until the San Diego WASC again to defend my world title.

So much that life is difficult to be in a wheelchair, I grew up and realized great potential being challenged. I find humorous life. We have to laugh; it is what happens to us in life.

Thanks, Bruno! You can follow Bruno on his Instagram: @ brunocean13

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