At 24, Juan Bacagianis had life “figured out”: a degree in Communications, a permanent position at a multinational company, a car, his own apartment, and a promotion in sight. Until a pain that started out of nowhere turned into an intestinal perforation that nearly cost him his life. Eight surgeries, a coma, and months with a colostomy bag later, on the very day his intestine was finally reconnected, he learned that his father had terminal cancer.
Two months later, when his father died, Juan made a radical decision: he quit his job, sold what he had, bought a camera, and boarded a plane to Mexico. That is where it all began.
What followed was a years-long journey chasing the biggest and most dangerous waves on the planet: Puerto Escondido, Hawaii—where he lived for months in a $700 van, showering at beach showers—Tahiti, and the legendary Pipeline. Without seeking it out, his photos and videos began to travel on their own: surf websites, international news programs, magazines like the one he had subscribed to as a child. Brands such as Quiksilver, Patagonia, and Billabong hired him; he worked as a correspondent for ESPN.
The journey came at a high cost: accidents, impacts against the ocean floor, countless scares. But for Juan, the answer was always the same: the sea is the only place where he truly belongs, and there is no risk that would make him regret it.
A story about letting go of what is “safe” to pursue what truly moves you. 🌊📷