Former World Surf Champion Sunny Garcia and Other Pros Visit LLUCH

Former world champion Sunny Garcia and other professional surfers visited patients at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital on Tuesday, June 5, a spokeswoman for the hospital announced Friday.

Garcia,Kalani Robb, Jason Magallanes and Reno Makani volunteer through the Mauli Ola Foundation, Briana Pastorino of LLUCH said in a statement. Foundation volunteers teach cystic fibrosis patients how to surf and take part in other activities for those facing facing physical challenges.

They are helping out with a Surf Experience Day this weekend at Newport Beach, Pastorino said.

On Tuesday in Loma Linda, Garcia, Robb, Magallanes and Makani visited with patients in the Adolescent Acute Care unit and Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care unit, Pastorino said.

"We are all looking forward to the event this weekend, but we don't want these patients left out," Robb said in a statement. "We look forward to visiting Loma Linda to bring a little sunshine into these kids' lives."

Garcia was born in 1970 on the west side of Hawaii, according to his bio. He debuted at the 1986 Gotcha Pro competition and beat the 1984 champ, Tom Carroll. He became ASP WCT World Champion in 2000, and he holds six Triple Crown of Surfing titles. In 2010, Garcia was inducted into the Surfer's Walk of Fame in Huntington Beach.