Today would have been surfing legend Eddie Aikau’s 73rd birthday and Google is honoring him in a rad doodle.
Born on May 4, 1946, Aikau was a well-known Hawaiian lifeguard and surfer. Best known for his heroic actions and charging unruly conditions (AKA big waves,) he disappeared at sea during a rescue mission in Tahiti in 1978.
Eddie’s selfless actions are recognized to this day.
The animated doodle features a smiling Aikau — with flowing hair — on one side of a wave, and a lifeguard shack on the other side. The center wave features the Google logo and a surfer about to get barreled. The doodle is entwined in maile with a yellow hibiscus flower at the bottom right.
Per the the Google website, a team of illustrators and engineers regularly creates Google doodles to celebrate holidays, events, and legends like Eddie Aikau.
