Throughout the turmoil the ocean remained his sanctuary — where he first went to escape a childhood of poverty and trouble in school.

He became a mentor to many in the surfing community and an important figure of the sport. Garcia was inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame in 2010 and the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.

He was a big brother figure to Andy Irons, a three-time world champion and another Hawaiian surfer known for occasionally erratic behavior. Irons died of a heart attack in 2010. Toxicology tests revealed a cocktail of drugs, including cocaine and methamphetamine, in his system. His family confirmed that he had been dealing with bipolar disorder since age 18.

“I was like his older brother, but I didn’t really know or understand what he was dealing with,” Garcia said of Irons in an interview years later. “If I knew then what I know now, I would have told him to get more help, professional help. Your friends and your family can only help you so much. I don’t want to be a tough guy anymore. There’s nothing weak about being open.”

That same community rallied around Garcia on Tuesday as news spread that he was in critical condition in a hospital in the Portland, Ore., area.