He arched his back while riding the waves, and that motion likely placed pressure on a major artery, reducing the blood flow to his spine, and when he finished, he felt some pain but didn’t think much of it as he went to eat. As he was eating, his legs began to go numb, then he couldn’t move his lower body at all. Doctors removed fluid from his spine to relieve the pressure, but 8 months later, he was still in a wheelchair, only able to move his toes and barely lift a leg.