Jason Momoais opening up about a scary near-death experience that inspired a major lifestyle change. The "Chief of War" star, 46, revealed on the Aug. 11 episode ofthe "SmartLess" podcastthat he once nearly died in a surfing accident. The incident occurred when Momoa's surfboard leash "snapped" while he was almost a mile off shore on the island of Maui. "It's so windy on Maui, and so the board just went," he said. "I couldn't even see it anymore." He continued, "I took quite a few on the head. They were pretty big, like 10-foot Hawaiian waves. I'm literally probably a half-mile offshore. ... There's all this water that pulls out. It pulls you out, and you just get hit with these waves, so I was stuck in this crazy spot." Momoa said no one could see him while he was waving for help. "I was out there for a while," he recalled. "I couldn't see anyone coming to get me, and I couldn't move anymore. My arms and my legs gave up." Jason Momoashares shocking transformation as he shaves off his iconic beard The "Aquaman" actor "couldn't move my arms anymore" and "bubbled down," he said, adding, "I'm literally in the middle of the ocean, and I can barely put my lips above, just to breathe and get a break, but I had already given up. (I'd) already given up and died." After around 10 minutes of "hanging on the side of this reef," Momoa said he was rescued by surfer Laird Hamilton, who came from behind to get him. The two then had to paddle for miles while Momoa's feet were "covered in blood." The "Dune" star, who prayed to his ancestors for help while he was out there, shared that this is what inspired him to finally quit smoking. Jason Momoa'schildren support him in rare outing at 'Chief of War' premiere: Photos "I used to smoke like two or three packs a day," he said. "I couldn't stop for my kids, I couldn't stop for my ex. I couldn't stop smoking. The moment I came in, I never smoked again. I just died. I tried and tried, but I couldn't do it again, because I gave up my life." Momoa was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and comes from "one of the biggest surf families in Hawaii," he noted on "SmartLess." The actor previously worked at his family's surf shop. Momoa is currently starring on the Hawaiian historical epic "Chief of War" on Apple TV+, and he recently teasedhis return as Duncan Idahoin the third "Dune" film," which is set for release in 2026. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Jason Momoa reveals surfing near-death experience
