A retired professional Belgian soccer player died during a surfing lesson after he was struck by lightning. Obviously, first and foremost, this is a tragedy. Really sad to see such a young guy go out in such a surprising and unpredictable way- and it seems like he was one of those people who others just loved to be around.

This also seems super unfair in that surfing’s already pretty dangerous: I mean we’ve got sharks and riptides, we’ve got big rocks and, oh yeah, giant, back breaking waves- do we really need the lightning? If I set foot on a surfboard, I’ve already got more than enough to worry about. I’m trying to balance, not get eaten because I look like a seal, and first and foremost, not drown. AND GODDAMNIT I CAN HEAR ALL OF YOU SAYING "blah blah blah people die from getting struck by lightning while swimming all the time blah blah blah", FUCK ALL OF YOU SURFING IS NOT THE SAME AS SWIMMING; THERE ARE MORE WAYS TO DIE. This is like choking on an airplane. As soon as you set foot onboard, the only reason you should die is if the plane crashes. You’ve already put your fate in the hands of pilots, engineers and assembly workers, so going out because a honey roasted peanut lodged in your throat seems cruel.

I’ll put it on the record: if I get struck by lightning while surfing, choke on an airplane, or have an allergic reaction while climbing Everest, I’ll be bringing my grievances straight to the top.