Patrick Dyapi joined Unstressed Surf School as a young boy struggling with anger and instability at home.

The ocean quickly became a place where he felt free. Patrick developed a reputation for being fearless in the water and eager to try any board he could find, even improvising when proper equipment wasn’t available.

As he grew older, he began showing strong leadership qualities within the group.

A few years ago, Patrick’s life changed dramatically when he was severely injured in a fire, losing one of his hands and suffering extensive burns.

Despite the challenges of recovery, Patrick remains closely connected to Unstressed. Today he supports the program from the beach, helping supervise sessions and sharing his deep knowledge of the ocean with younger surfers.

With a customised bodyboard, he still occasionally returns to the water, continuing the relationship with the ocean that has been such an important part of his life.