John John Florence’s Father: The Real Story Behind the Surfing Icon’s Absent Parent

John John Florence is arguably the most gifted surfer to ever touch a fiberglass board. People talk about his casual style at Pipeline, his Olympic runs, and his two World Titles. But if you spend enough time around the North Shore or digging into the history of the Florence family, one name eventually bubbles up to the surface in a way that feels heavy. John L. Florence. That’s John John Florence’s father. He isn't the guy holding the trophy in the photos. He isn’t the one filming from the beach. For most of John John’s meteoric rise to fame, his father was a ghost, a cautionary tale, and eventually, a man trying to explain himself from the sidelines of a life he missed.

It’s a heavy topic. Most surf media outlets avoid it because they want to keep things "stoked" and positive. But you can't really understand who John John is—or why his mother, Alex Florence, is considered the ultimate "Mama Lion" of the surfing world—without looking at the vacuum left by his dad.

The Early Years at Rocky Point

To understand the dynamic, you have to go back to the early 1990s. Alex Florence moved to Oahu from New Jersey with basically nothing. She met John L. Florence, and together they had three sons: John John, Nathan, and Ivan. They lived right on the beach, which sounds like a dream. In reality? It was chaotic.

John L. Florence was a surfer himself, but he struggled with demons that didn't mesh well with fatherhood. We’re talking about serious issues with alcohol and a lifestyle that eventually led to him being out of the picture. By the time John John was five or six, the marriage was effectively over. Alex was left to raise three boys in a tiny shack with no money. She did it by working odd jobs and leaning on the tight-knit North Shore community.

While John John was becoming a prodigy, his father was drifting. It’s one of those classic, heartbreaking stories where the talent is inherited but the stability isn't. John John’s middle name is Alexander—which is his mother's name. That tells you almost everything you need to know about where his loyalties lie.

Why the absence shaped a champion

Some people think a professional athlete needs a "Tiger Woods" style dad pushing them every day. John John had the opposite. He had a mom who let him explore the ocean and a dad who simply wasn't there to push. This created a unique kind of internal drive.

John John didn't surf to please a demanding father. He surfed because the ocean was his backyard and his escape. The absence of John L. Florence meant that John John had to grow up fast. He became the "man of the house" in a spiritual sense long before he was a legal adult. You see that in his personality today—he’s quiet, incredibly focused, and fiercely protective of his brothers and mother.

📖 Related: NFL Football Teams in Order: Why Most Fans Get the Hierarchy Wrong

The Memoir and the Public Reckoning

For years, nobody really knew where John L. Florence went. Then, he reappeared in the public eye in a way that most people found jarring. He wrote a book. It wasn't a surf manual or a biography of his famous son; it was a memoir titled F.E.A.R. (Forget Everything And Run).

In the book, John L. Florence doesn't hold back. He’s pretty honest about his failures. He details his struggles with addiction and the specific moments where he chose the bottle over his kids. It’s a tough read for anyone who follows the Florence family. He admitted that he wasn't there for the birthdays, the first waves, or the big wins.

A lot of fans wondered: why now? Why write a book about your failures when your son is the most famous surfer on the planet?

Some saw it as a desperate grab for attention or money. Others saw it as a necessary step in a 12-step recovery program—making amends by owning your truth. Whatever the motive, it didn't exactly lead to a warm, fuzzy reunion. John John has remained famously private about his father. When asked in interviews, he usually gives a polite, short answer or pivots back to his family—meaning his mom and brothers.

The impact of "F.E.A.R."

Honestly, the book served as a stark contrast to the life Alex Florence built. While the father was writing about "running away," the mother was busy building a literal empire. Alex is the reason the boys are sponsored. She’s the reason they have the house at Pipe.

John L. Florence’s narrative is one of regret. He’s gone on record saying things like, "I have three of the best sons in the world, and I don't know them." That’s a heavy cross to bear. It’s a reminder that even in the sun-drenched, "aloha" world of pro surfing, there are real-world consequences to the choices parents make.

👉 See also: Why Your 1 Arm Pull Up Progression Isn't Working (And How to Fix It)

Where is John L. Florence now?

Information on John L. Florence today is scarce, and that’s likely by design. He resides mostly on the mainland, far from the North Shore spotlight. He’s stayed out of the headlines for the most part since his book release.

Meanwhile, John John has become a father himself. In 2024, John John and his wife, Lauryn Cribb, welcomed their first child. This is a massive turning point in the Florence family lineage.

When a son who grew up without a present father becomes a father himself, the stakes are high. You can see the shift in John John’s energy. He’s more grounded. He’s talking more about legacy and the future. He’s clearly intending to be the presence that his own father wasn't. It’s the ultimate way to break the cycle.

Breaking the cycle in professional sports

It's common to see "surf dads" or "skate dads" hovering over their kids, screaming from the beach. You see it with the Toledos or the Medinas. The Florence family is different. They are a unit, but it's a matriarchy.

• Alex Florence: The architect of the career.
• John John: The icon.
• Nathan and Ivan: The support and world-class surfers in their own right.
• John L. Florence: The missing piece that made the other pieces fit together tighter.

Without the struggle of those early years—struggles directly caused by his father’s departure—John John might not have the same grit. The "Florence" brand is built on North Shore toughness. That toughness was forged in the fire of a single-parent household where every cent counted.

The legacy of the Florence name

It's ironic that the name "Florence" is now synonymous with excellence, wealth, and clean living. John L. Florence gave them the name, but he didn't give them the life. They built that themselves.

✨ Don't miss: El Salvador partido de hoy: Why La Selecta is at a Critical Turning Point

If you're looking for a story of a happy reconciliation, you won't find it here—at least not yet. Life isn't a movie. Sometimes, a father is just a guy who wasn't there, and the son grows up to be a better man because of it. John John Florence’s father remains a shadow in the background of a very bright career.

Most people get it wrong when they assume John John had everything handed to him because he grew up at Pipeline. He had the waves, sure. But he didn't have the "stable, supportive father figure" that so many of his competitors had. He had to find that in his community, in his coaches like Ross Williams, and in his own reflection.

Moving forward: What we can learn

The story of John John Florence's father is really a story about resilience. It's about the fact that your origins don't have to define your destination.

1. Acknowledge the gap: It’s okay to admit that a parent failed. John John doesn’t pretend everything was perfect, and that honesty is part of why fans love him.
2. Look at the mother's role: In any discussion about John John’s dad, the real hero is Alex. If you want to understand the Florence success, look at her.
3. Watch the next generation: With John John now being a dad, the "Florence" story is entering a new chapter. He’s taking the lessons of what not to do and applying them to his own son.

If you're interested in the technical side of how John John overcame these distractions to win world titles, you should check out his film projects like View From A Blue Moon. You won't see his father in them, but you'll see the result of a kid who had to find his own way home.

Actionable steps for fans and researchers

If you're trying to dig deeper into this history, don't look for John John to talk about it in post-heat interviews on the WSL. He won't. Instead:

• Read "F.E.A.R." by John L. Florence if you want the father's perspective, but take it with a grain of salt—it’s one man’s attempt at catharsis.
• Follow Alex Florence (@alex_florence) on Instagram. She often shares throwback photos from the early 90s that give you a glimpse into the "scrappier" years before the millions of dollars in sponsorships.
• Study the "Florence Marine X" brand. It’s John John’s own company. Notice how the branding focuses on family, durability, and "the elements." It’s a direct reflection of the values he had to learn on his own.

The saga of John L. Florence is a reminder that even our heroes have complicated ghosts. It doesn't make John John's air-reverses or his barrel riding any less impressive. If anything, knowing what he navigated at home makes his calm demeanor in 20-foot surf even more incredible. He’s already survived the biggest storm of his life before he even turned ten.