Australia's 'duct tape surfer' dies in hospital
An Australian woman, who became an online sensation after overcoming a disability to pursue a dream of surfing, has died.
Pascale Honore, 52, came to worldwide prominence two years ago when a short film showing her surfing while taped to the back of her son’s friend, went viral.
The mother, who was wheelchair bound after a spinal injury in a car accident 25 years, was hailed as an inspiration after the film’s release.
According to News Corp, she died in Southport Hospital at the weekend from health complications.
According to reports, Ms Honore was hospitalised with a twisted bowel and underwent surgery at the Byron Bay hospital about a week ago. Her health had reportedly been deteriorating for much of this year.
Friends and family members have now paid tribute to the Paris-born mother, who fell in love with Australia’s south coast after backpacking her way to the country via South East asia.
Almost 20 years ago she was confined to a wheelchair after a car accident traveling between Port Lincoln and her adopted home town of Elliston in South Australia.
The accident seemingly put an end to her dreams of learning to surf, however, her ambition found new life, literally, off of the back of her son’s friend Ty Swan.
Swan, 25, a skilled surfer, believed he could help Ms Honore realise the dream and the pair set about finding a way to get two people onto his surfboard.
The answer, of course, came in the form of electrical tape. After some brief experiments, Swan and Ms Honore worked out a way to tape her to his back and the rest became history.
The world was swept away by videos of Ms Honore’s smiling face as she surfed South Australia’s west coast beaches.
She moved to Byron Bay on New South Wale’s north coast two years ago.
Her son Tom paid tribute to his mother on social media, writing she was proof that anything is possible.
“I love you so much mum, and I know you will be watching over us for the rest of our days!”
News break - September 7
