Hermosa surfer Bryan Newman sparkled in the water

Kevin Cody|November 29, 2015

Brian Newman pulling into another closeout at the Hermosa pier. Photo by Karen Newman.

Bryan Newman pulling into another closeout at the Hermosa pier. Photo by Karen Newman.

Bryan Newman spent a great part of his life surfing at 14th Street in Hermosa, just north of the Hermosa Beach pier. Saturday morning, his family and dozens of his fellow 14th Street surfers celebrated Newman’s life with stories and a paddleout at 14th Street. Newman died two weeks ago of a pulmonary embolism at age 55.

“When I was learning to surf, I’d watch Brian, the Hall brothers, and Marco Franco at the pier and Bryan was the best, the best in the world because he was the nicest,” Marcus Fender recalled.

“I saw him pull into a barrell regular foot and come out goofy foot,” Bobby Warcola said.

“I saw him paddle up the face of a big wave, get to his feet, turn and ride the wave back in. I’ve heard of people doing that, but I’d never seen it done and not seen it since,” said Pat Ryan, Newman’s board shaper.

“Bryan taught me tolerance. He taught me when it gets crowded, instead of making people leave, just paddle away,” Bob Thomas recalled.

“Bryan was one of the people who make Hermosa what it is, caring, flawed and full of warmth,” Pastor Dan Bradford said.

Following the stories and a brief memorial service on the beach led by New Hope Fellowship Pastor Rick Fasullo, Newman’s fellow surfers paddled out just north of the pier and joined hands in a circle.

A red and white bag containing Newman’s ashes was passed around so everyone in the circle could throw a handful his ashes into the clear, sunlit water. Then Warcola dove beneath the ashes and stayed down a long time.

“I wanted to see Bryan sparkling again,” Warcola said when he finally surfaced. ER