Jeremy Flores, France’s most successful male surfer and a prominent figure in the international surfing community, has shared the harrowing story of his battle with a brain tumour following his retirement from professional surfing in 2021.
Flores, who competed on the professional circuit for 15 years and secured four Championship Tour event wins, revealed the challenges he faced after stepping away from competition in a new documentary titled Dos au mur (“Backs to the Wall”), which premiered in Paris this week.
Born on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, a renowned surfing paradise despite its shark population, Flores was introduced to surfing by his father, Patrick, at just three years old. Known for his exceptional talent in navigating waves and his fiery temperament, Flores admitted in the film to having accrued numerous fines during his career.
However, following the birth of his second child in 2021, Flores retired quietly, citing persistent migraines, chronic fatigue, and loss of motivation as troubling signs. “For several years, I had a lot of migraines. I was always tired, unmotivated,” he told AFP.
Shortly after retirement, Flores received devastating news: he had a brain tumour located at the base of his brain. Many surgeons initially deemed it inoperable, a prognosis that left him shaken. “The news shattered me,” he admitted.
Brain tumour survival rates remain low, with only about one-third of patients living beyond five years, although outcomes tend to improve for those under 40, according to French medical statistics.
Fortunately, Flores found a neurosurgeon willing to operate. In 2022, pioneering surgeon Hugues Duffau performed a complex awake brain surgery at Montpellier. The operation was successful but came with significant challenges during recovery.
“I had to relearn how to speak, write, and read,” Flores recounted. “I suffered significant memory loss. My children had become strangers to me.”
Flores credited his wife, Hinarani de Longeaux—a former Miss Tahiti and model—and the surfing community, particularly longtime friend and rival Kelly Slater, for their unwavering support throughout his recovery. “Kelly called me almost every day before, during, and after the operation. I was lucky to have great support,” he said.
In a remarkable comeback, Flores transitioned into coaching and was appointed by the French Surfing Federation to manage the national team at the 2024 Olympic Games held in Teahupo’o, Tahiti—where he had lived for several years.
The team featured his sister-in-law, Vahine Fierro, and young Tahitian prodigy Kauli Vaast. Under Flores’ guidance, they achieved historic success: Fierro won the 2024 Tahiti Pro—the first French victory there since Flores in 2015—while the French team secured two Olympic medals. Johanne Defay earned bronze in the women’s shortboard, and Vaast clinched gold in the men’s shortboard, with Flores vocally cheering from the water.
“It was truly special, the highlight of my career,” Flores said. “He’s my little brother, and I’m deeply committed to passing on knowledge. It felt like a cycle.”
Three years after his surgery, Flores reports that his memory is “gradually returning,” though the tumour remains under careful monitoring through quarterly MRIs. “You have to keep an eye on its size, take it seriously, but above all, you have to keep moving forward,” he affirmed with calm resolve.
