Famed for his pocket surfing, his skateboard-inspired moves and his otherworldly afro, Montgomery "Buttons" Kaluhiokalani revolutionized surfing in the 1970s and ’80s. But it wasn’t until after he was able to overcome near-fatal drug addiction that he secured his legacy as community volunteer and mentor to generations of young surfers.
Kaluhiokalani died of lung cancer Saturday in California at age 55.
Nicknamed "Buttons" by his grandmother because of his curly locks, Kaluhiokalani took up surfing at age 9 and by 13 had already made his mark, placing second in the U.S. Championships in Malibu, Calif.
Kaluhiokalani honed his unique surfing style on single-fin stingers shaped by mentor Ben Aipa. Taking advantage of the increased maneuverability the small, lightweight boards afforded, Kaluhiokalani borrowed techniques from the skateboarding world, turning heads with his then-innovative 360s and tailslides.
Kaluhiokalani racked up more than 100 wins as an amateur before becoming a professional after his junior year at McKinley High School.
As a pro, he notched first-place finishes at the Sunkist Open in Malibu, and at competitions in Japan and Peru.
Despite his successes in the water, Kaluhiokalani struggled in his post-surfing life. He was convicted in 1981 of second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, a Class B felony, and was sentenced to community service and probation. In 1997, he was convicted of third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, a Class C felony.
He survived two drug overdoses and an unwanted appearance as a felon on "Dog the Bounty Hunter" before finally overcoming his addictions in 2007.
In recent years, Kaluhiokalani found fulfillment through the North Shore-based Buttons Surf School. Before he was sidelined by lung cancer, Kaluhiokalani also volunteered with the Mauli Ola Foundation and taught disabled adults and children how to surf via AccesSurf.
Kaluhiokalani is survived by his wife, Hiriata Hart, eight children and nine grandchildren. Services are pending.
