Three-time world champion surfer Andy Irons was known for being a cutthroat competitor whose passion for the sport leaked into every wave he caught. But his personal battle with mental health and addiction broadened how his legacy lives on.
His wife, Lyndie Irons, created the Andy Irons Foundation in 2011, which strives to support Kauaʻi keiki dealing with addiction, mental illness, and learning disabilities. Lyndie explained that there was heavy stigma surrounding addiction and mental health disorders when Irons was growing up, which she believes led to him not being able to get the help he needed.
“Andy is one of the best surfers in the entire world, but he's also saving lives with what he went through,” she said. “He was very honest and pure and he never hid behind any of his mental health issues, but he just didn't have the help that now I'm hopefully providing for kids on Kauaʻi and hopefully all the islands at some point."
Fifteen years after his death, Billabong and the Andy Irons Foundation are launching a collaboration with merchandise designed based on Irons’ style and personality.
Lyndie Irons said that Billabong was a constant source of support in his career, and has been since his death on Nov. 2, 2010.
She said most of the proceeds from the collaboration will go directly to the foundation, much of which will help her latest Kauaʻi-based project, the Hope Fund, which covers costs of services that help with youth mental health.
“Too many young people on Kaua‘i are struggling in silence with depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide. Many don’t have access to the support they need, whether that’s therapy, fitness programs, or safe creative outlets,” Lyndie Irons said.
Andy Irons was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and developed an opioid addiction in the last few years of his life while still competing at high-level surfing competitions. But friend and teammate Mark “Occy” Occhilupo said Irons didn’t let that define him, adding that Irons' vulnerability about his struggles helped others confront their own battles.
“I mean, he helped me, and I'm not a kid. I went through a lot of it with Andy — I suffer from addiction myself, and I think a lot of people do in some way, and it's tough talking about it,” Occhilupo said. “What Lyndie’s done with the foundation is huge and they’re not scared of showing that you can beat it, you know, you’re not alone. It's a learning curve for everyone, and we're all going through it.”
Lyndie Irons said she feels him watching over her every day, adding that it is an honor for her and their son to carry on the spirit of both a talented surfer and a good-hearted man.
“Losing Andy has shifted my whole life into where I now live more purposefully and more like how he did. He lived every single day to its fullest,” she said. “He was my everything — my one true love. He’s my Andy.”
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