Love, Shine, Glow: Sophia Bartlow Memorial
Celebrating a special life at the Huntington Beach Pier
- Published:February 13, 2017
- Views:2,548
The bands of heavy rain that had saturated the hillsides at dawn ended before the memorial for Sophia Bartlow began. Along the drive to the ceremony rainbows appeared, a signal to those heading to the amphitheater at the foot of the Huntington Beach Pier. “Sea Sister Sophia” Bartlow, the irrepressible California longboard champion, beloved Hawaii State shortboard champion, and the intensely driven national champion of the 2014 US SUP Tour, had succumbed to injuries sustained in a car crash two weeks earlier near Waialua, on Oahu, Hawaii.
The tragedy had shaken the surfing community; stunned to lose such a gifted and gorgeous woman so full of achievement and unfulfilled promise. “Love, Shine, Glow.” Those words were Sophia’s mantra and she lived them like our queen of hearts.
There is no activity that symbolizes surfing’s tribal culture like the paddle out -- and this one for the daughter of a regal surf family brought the full spectrum of wave riders: old and young, local and distant. Her joyous persona reached far and wide: Surf icon David Nuuhiwa recalled how during contests Sophia would paddle in and retrieve another competitor’s board right in the middle of the heat. “I knew right then she was a different kind of girl.”
Malibu’s senior star Allen Sarlo reminisced about surfing South Africa with Sophia’s mother, surf icon Jericho Poppler, and then, years later when they had kids, finding out that he had, “a daughter named Sophia Sarlo and she had a daughter named Sophia Bartlow – and the girls competed and became friends.”
Friend and fellow champion Candice Appleby gave a heartfelt remembrance, MC Rockin’ Fig was a master at the ceremonies, Pastor Sumo Sato finished the observance by saying, “I’ve lost my greatest cheerleader.”
Jericho’s deft touch ensured the memorial was orchestrated to perfection. From the haunting Hawaiian opening prayers, to the tearful friends’ and family’s remembrances, to the massive paddle out that followed the beachside observance -- over a thousand people attended the service and many of those made their way through the pier to form three circles of celebration.
“Love, Shine, Glow,” they chanted from the water and on the pier, as a lifeguard boat fired a cannon shot in her honor.
Later that night, sitting with family and friends at the River’s End Cafe in Seal Beach where Sophia had ridden her first waves, I reflected on her mother Jericho’s words from earlier that day.
“I’ve never in my whole life been around so much love, it’s incredible. It’s because of what we do and what we love to do, and that’s ride waves. Sophia is now riding waves for us up there,” Jericho added, pointing toward the sky. “And she’s ripping!”
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[email protected] sarlo 02/14/2017 09:26 PM * PREMIUM MEMBER - Real Name ** EDITOR'S PICK
william raulin 02/14/2017 03:52 AM * PREMIUM MEMBER - Real Name
Dean Rhoades 02/14/2017 02:43 AM * PREMIUM MEMBER - Real Name
john wojcik 02/13/2017 04:03 PM
Jonnie D 02/13/2017 03:45 PM
DAN ODONNELL 02/13/2017 03:13 PM
Beautiful lady,.... taken too soon ....... 02/13/2017 07:08 AM
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