Surfer Mikala Jones Dead at 44: 'Life Will Never Be the Same Without You'
"I wish this never happened and we could just wake up and go surf together tomorrow morning,” the surfer's daughter Isabella wrote after his death in a freak accident
jarvis gray/Shutterstock
Surfing pro Mikala Jones died in a freak surfing accident Sunday morning. He was 44.
The athlete's daughter, Isabella Jones, broke the news on Instagram Sunday.
According to Surfline, Mikala, who relocated from Hawaii to Indonesia years ago, was surfing along the coast of the Mentawai Islands while staying at the Awera Resort in North Sipora, Indonesia, with his family.
A surfboard fin severed his femoral artery from a 10-centimeter wound inside his left groin, the outlet reported.
Isabella wrote a touching tribute to her father and shared childhood photos of the two together in addition to snapshots of him surfing.
Related: 'Mad Dogs' Surfer Márcio Freire Dead at 47 After Accident in Big Waves at Portugal Beach
“I’m in so much disbelief right now, this doesn’t feel real,” Isabella began. “I love you so much dad and I wish I could give you one last hug. I wish I could tell you again how much I love you and thank you for being the best dad. I wish you were still here with us, you weren’t supposed to leave yet. This is too soon.”
“I know you are in a good place now with nana vi, and your friends. I wish this never happened and we could just wake up and go surf together tomorrow morning,” she wrote.
Isabella explained of her dad’s death, “I’m not sure how to put this in words, but my dad got into a bad surfing accident and didn’t make it. I'm happy he was doing what he loved the most. Life will never be the same without you.”
“I miss you so much, I would do anything to get one more moment, even if it was us arguing and then laughing our asses off,” she continued. “Thank you for teaching me so many life lessons, and always being there for me. I wish you were still here with us right now. I will always be thinking about you dad ❤️.
“I love you so much, thank you for everything ❤️ fly high ????️ ur a f—ing legend,” Isabella ended her message.
Several surfing pros expressed their condolences in the comments section, including Tia Blanco who wrote, “Your dad was one of the nicest humans I’ve encountered in the surfing community. So sad to hear this news. Sending you love & strength. So sorry about this.”
Mana Photo/Shutterstock
Isabella reposted tributes from friends on her Instagram Story. She wrote over a video shared by surf filmmaker Taylor Steele of her father, “Surfing barrels in heaven ❤️i love you so much.”
She then shared a clip of the family of four, writing, “It will never be the same” with a broken heart emoji.
“Forever my life biggest inspiration,” she wrote under another reel shared by surfing photographer Robbie Crawford.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“I’m going to miss coming home ot you packing and not knowing where you were gonna go," Isabella reminisced alongside a clip of Mikala packing his surfboard. I always asked and his words were ‘don’t worry about it’ with the biggest smirk on his face ???? top secretive man, just wanted to surf big barrels with nobody.”
She shared two more collages of her father, asking for anyone to send her their old photos of the professional surfer. “Thank you everyone for all the love and support means the world,” she wrote, alongside a praying hands and red heart emoji.
Related: Spanish Surfer Óscar Serra, 22, Dies in Surfing Accident: 'There Are No Words'
Isabella also wrote to her father on her Instagram Story, “You are in a good place. ????️❤️.”
Mikala was known for his “expert tube riding in dangerous waves” and revolutionized footage of surfing inside barrels with his GoPro, making him “easily one of the 21st century’s most photogenic surfers,” per Surfline.
He is survived by his wife Emma, his two daughters, sister Malia and brothers Keoni and Daniel.
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.