One year ago Ricardo dos Santos was shot and killed by an off-duty military police officer outside his home in Guarda do Embaú. On the one year anniversary of his death Tracks pays tribute to Ricardo with an article published in wake of his murder. Ricardo’s Last Rites appeared in the in the May 2015 edition of Tracks issue 536 and is an excellent read. Take a moment to reflect on a life taken too soon and be reminded how good Ricardo was in big barrels right here.
Words Bruno Bocayuva
He was killed because of Pipeline. You think this is heavy? Then read on. Prior to this winter season in Hawaii, Ricardo dos Santos stayed on the rock from December to March, the last five seasons in a row. You see, he was a Pipe devotee and logging maximum hours and tube time at Banzai was his prerogative. While in Hawaii he would always hear stories about how his hometown, Guarda do Embaú, became a hotbed for crime and violence during the southern hemisphere, summer madness.
In what would prove a crucial twist of fate, Ricardo snapped his clavicle after a bad wipeout at Pipe, only a couple of days before the 2014 Pipe Masters begun. It was a bittersweet end to the season for Ricardo. Injured and frustrated, but overwhelmingly happy for his world title-winning friend, he left the North Shore of Oahu after Medina’s celebration. Initially there seemed to be a silver lining in the collarbone injury that prevented him from spending the entire season in Hawaii. For the first time in years he could spend Christmas and New Years holidays with his family and friends at home.
At first glance Guarda do Embaú is nothing but a humble beachside village, a Brazilian version of Byron Bay far removed from the sprawling favelas and crime-riddled pockets of Rio. In 2013 the permanent population was calculated to be in the vicinity of 800 people, but during weekends and holidays it blows out to around 3000. Without the state of Santa Catarina taking appropriate measures to handle the temporary human overload, the village saw an increase in robbery, urban disorder, drug abuse and general social disharmony.
Increasingly frustrated by the situation in his own town, in 2011 Ricardo posted a comment on Brazil’s most popular surf website, Waves. Somewhat eerily the outburst would prove an ill-omen for his own tragic death. “People don’t complain about what’s going on here because they are afraid of getting shot.” Ultimately it was Ricardo who paid the ultimate price for the failure of local authorities to act on the warnings and find a way to stem the growing violence. Ricardo was shot in front of his house on the 20th of January, 2015. Bequeathed a warrior’s heart and the mindset of a surfer with everything to live for, he fought death for 30 hours, until finally succumbing to his injuries.
Monday, January 19 had begun innocently enough for Ricardo. He and his granddad, Nicolau dos Santos, left Ricardo’s house to fix a pipe at the street in front of the garage. When Nicolau realised that a car was blocking access to the broken pipe, he and Ricardo asked the driver to move the vehicle in order to give them some space to work. The disoriented looking guy responded abrasively: “I’m not gonna f…ing move, because I’m calling the shots here.” Then: “Boom!” He fired the first bullet into Ricardo’s back. When Ricardo felt the bullet hit, he turned and: “Boom!” The second shot punctured his kidney and a lung. When the shooter tried to run away from the scene, Ricardo was still lucid enough to shout: “Get his license number.” The man was identified as Luiz Paulo Mota Brentano, a 25-year-old, Military Police soldier. The off-duty officer was armed and had been drinking heavily. He was arrested shortly after the incident and will remain, until trial, in custody of the 8th Battalion of Police at Joinville, where he used to work.
At the time of writing he was charged with manslaughter and facing obvious expulsion from his position. Ricardo was sent by helicopter to São José Regional Hospital, at the nearest big city before Florianópolis. In a critical condition upon arrival he endured three emergency surgeries to stop two haemorrhages. The doctors placed him in an induced coma. As a surfer Ricardo had found a way out of countless impossible barrels, but sadly this time there was no light at the end of the tunnel. He never woke up from the induced coma and died in the early hours of Tuesday, January, 20.
Ricardo represented the best of Brazil. The pride balanced with humility; the strength of character coupled with the “joie de vivre” for which the party-loving South American nation is famous. Raised in a humble fishing family without a father or any major career prospects, Ricardo put his heart and soul into surfing. And the town always came with him for the ride because he never forgot them. He was the favourite son, the ambassador; the local star who shined in foreign seas and used his power to speak on behalf of his people. Ricardo’s death is an all too painful example of the good dying young.
This vibrant young man at the zenith of his abilities, unsuspectingly ran head on into the things which embody the worst of Brazil – police brutality, a lack of investment in education, an antiquated and obsolete justice system (Brazil’s penal code is dated 1940), impunity, alcohol and drug abuse. His killer will face a sentence of 12 to 30 years, but with Brazil’s skewed legal system, a good behavior bond will see him serve around a 1/3 of the sentence.
The coward’s crime at Guarda do Embaú happened exactly one month after Brazil’s biggest accomplishment in the history of surfing, Gabriel Medina’s unprecedented world title victory. So the passionate sporting nation descended from heaven to hell in 30 days. Gabriel and Ricardo weren’t from the same neighborhood and they didn’t travel together, but they shared the same energy, stoke and pride and they both made us proud. Gab is the lethal guy on the CT stage, jousting in a singlet with the world’s best and emerging victorious. As a counterpoint Ricardinho, “da Guarda”, as he was known in his home-town, Guarda do Embaú, was our hero for heavy waves and in particular big barrels. Together Gab and Ricardinho helped to let the world know that Brazilian surfers could be slick, unstoppable competitors and heavy barrel maestros. They learned from each other and they celebrated each other’s achievements.
Ricardo was at Medina’s #1 party at the Turtle Bay Resort in Hawaii. Prescribed anti-in‑ ammatories for his snapped clavicle, he couldn’t have a beer with the Champ, but he was determined to give Gab a hug and take a picture for posterity – two champions of a different sort. The photo was one of the last ever taken of Ricardo.
Gabriel was notably affected by the unexpected passing of the friend he had celebrated with only a few weeks earlier. On Instagram he posted a blank photograph with the message, “Ricardo, you did not deserve it! Not even, ever! Why it happens to good people, I do not understand that! Good people, always helping the next, smile ear-to-ear every day. God comfort your family.”
The tragic death of Ricardo unquestionably tainted Medina’s world title win. In our finest surfing hour the light was suddenly shone upon some of Brazil’s more uncomfortable truths. From the Amazon to the border with Uruguay, thousands of families deal with sadness and sorrow as a result of their sons’ unnecessary murders. What’s different about Ricardo’s story is that he was a public figure, a sporting hero. So all the feelings were magnified, pluralised and nationalised. In the same way Gabriel became a source of inspiration and hope for Brazil, Ricardo’s death should not be in vain. Hopefully it encourages politicians and regular members of the populous to look frankly at the problems which have plagued Brazil. Yes, we need our heroes but we also need to be honest about the challenges facing Brazil. If we do this then Ricardo will be remembered as not only a great surfer but as an agent for change. So far the signs are good and already his local community has formed a group in his honour to fight for quality of life and basic social justice.
As far as the surfing community is concerned, Ricardo’s spirit will live on in the hearts and minds of all those who knew him from Pipeline to Tahiti. They will draw courage and inspiration from Riccardo when they pull on a singlet or paddle into a heaving barrel. It should never have happened, but now that they have lost a brother, who helped show them the way they owe it to him, to surf in a way that honours his legacy.
From the Author
I met Ricardo for the first time in 2008 when he won a contest in Chile. Since then we ran into each other many times. Not always in a professional context, but mostly with he as the surfer and me as a journalist. Always firm but kind he knew what he wanted, to ride high through a challenging path with joy. Sadly, when I was searching for news when he was at the hospital, fighting for his life, I discovered that I knew his granddad, his mother and his aunt since the late 80s. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to tell him that, however, at Medina’s World Title party, I did manage to get a photo with him. We laughed over the fact we were both in slings, revelled in the ebullience of our countryman’s victory and celebrated how fortunate we were to be living our respective surfing dreams. It will remain one of my most cherished memories.
Ricardo’s TimeLine
1990: Born in Guarda do Embaú, (a Brazilian version of Byron Bay), a small beach village in the city of Palhoça, state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. As a young boy he is called Ricardinho (Richie) “da Guarda”. Starts sur ng at the age seven and competes for the first time at 12. From an early age displays the guts and skills of a great tuberider. Hones his talent at the main break of La Guarda, which is compared to Lefthanders in WA
2008: At Chile’s famous Punta Lobos, Ricardinho wins the South American trials to qualify for the World Pro Juniors. In pumping 6-foot lefts, he defeats fellow countryman, Alex Ribeiro, posting 19.75 out of 20. Fittingly his win features a double barrel, perfect 10.
2011: Wins the trials of WCT’s Billabong Teahupoo, Tahiti, back to back in 2011 and 2012. In 2012 he goes on to defeat Taj Burrow and Kelly Slater in the main event. Makes the quarter- nals and wins the Andy Irons Forever Award. At the end of the season Kelly attributes his loss to Parko in the world title race to the defeat at Teahupoo by Ricardo.
2012: Finishes 62nd in the WQS in 2012 and decides to limit his competiton schedule to good, punchy waves and focus on free surfing.
2013: Wins the Surfline award for Wave of the Winter, 2013. Collects a $25,000 dollar cheque for his Pipe bomb and tells Surfline. “It’s huge for me, my country, my friends and all the boys … they would never imagine a guy from South Brazil doing this. I’m the only professional surfer from there. It means … all the work I did my whole life. I always try to respect the locals and the Islands. You know those guys are going to get the best waves and I can’t control anything.”
In 2014 he is part of a group know as, Aprimoresurf, featuring Lucas Silveira and aerial wizard kid, Yago Dora. With Leandro Dora as their coach they surf and train together in an attempt to take their surfing to new levels.
2015: On the 19th January, 2015, Ricardo is gunned down near his home, reportedly after a minor disagreement over parking with an off-duty member of the Brazilian military police. Thirty hours later he dies as a result of his injuries.
