DIVING DEEP

It’s October 15, 2018. Macy Callaghan has spent the week putting on a dynamic display of surfing. Her top-to-bottom Gilmore-esque wraps in the pocket scored Macy a second place at the Roxy Pro France as a WCT injury wildcard. That same day, with a small group of friends, Macy hightails it from Hossegor to Paris to celebrate the result and to bookmark another very special occasion. A fancy French dinner, a meander around the Eiffel Tower marvelling at its lights sparkling against a backdrop of black sky; what a way to spend an 18th birthday.

It may come as a surprise that Macy shed a few tears that night—and not the happy kind. But for this self-described homebody, life on Tour away from family can be bittersweet. Macy explains this was just one of the many micro moments that derailed her into a darkness she didn’t see coming.

Life as a grom was rosy. Born at Gosford Hospital, the third daughter to Debbie and Gabe Callaghan, Macy then spent her childhood on NSW’s Central Coast, an area known for its local blue-collar battlers and for its surf froth. “There are so many great beaches, more like a small-town vibe. I really loved that growing up,” Macy says. “My whole bunch of friends were super competitive, so they drove me to where I am today.” Lucky for world tour spectators, a young Macy Callaghan came to her … we definitely had some good memories together.”