Despite the health advice that has forced him into retirement, Owen Wright knows he is one of the lucky ones.
The Australian surfing star plans to celebrate his good fortune over the next few days when he competes for the last time on the world tour at Bells Beach.
The Olympic bronze medallist received the stark medical advice late last year that another big head knock could cause major damage.
He suffered a traumatic head injury eight years ago in a wipeout at Hawaii's Pipeline and had to learn to walk and surf again.
The 33-year-old will return to the world tour one last time as a wildcard and will be the centre of attention at Bells Beach.
Wright, who is an advocate for brain health and concussion awareness in sport, looks at what is happening in other sports and blesses his good fortune.
"From my accident, I've been looked after extensively and here's another moment, where I've worked with them again," he told AAP.
"In surfing, I think we're very lucky and I see what's happening in other sports - I find it a bit sad, for both sides, the sport and the athlete.
"Yeah, I've had some really sad moments and tough battles to overcome, but also been very supported."
He said helmets are available for competitors at events and the right safety protocols are in place.
Wright, who estimates his head knocks through surfing are into the double digits, added he was left in no doubt that it was time to retire from competition.
"I'm in good health now, but - 'your next knock, it's going to mess you up' - it's really about managing those risks," he said.
"Now I can manage it. I can surf for the rest of my life.
"I'm not playing football - I can still play my sport, I can still surf every day.
"But if I want to go and turn it into football, I can - and that's surfing Pipe, that's surfing Sunset, that's surfing the waves on tour."
Wright has never won the Rip Curl Pro - he has a string of fifth-placed finishes at Bells Beach - but he knows anything is possible.
He notes that he won his comeback event, two years after the Hawaii wipeout.
And unlike his competitors, Wright has nothing to lose.
"Everyone is asking me 'how do you want to go at this one? Do you want to win the bell?' this and that," he said.
"If I show up and enjoy this moment, cherish this moment - I'm in good health, anything can happen.
"Coming back from my head injury in 2017, I was in a terrible space. I put my foot in and I ended up with a win."
Wright's swansong leads a number of intriguing storylines at the fourth round of the world tour.
Compatriots Jack Robinson and Molly Picklum lead the rankings and they represent the new wave of surfing stars.
Wright's younger sister Tyler Wright, a two-time world champion, is the defending Bells champion, but she was a shock round-one elimination at the most recent round in Portugal.
Reigning world champion Stephanie Gilmore badly needs a big result at Bells - she is on the wrong side of the dreaded mid-season cut, which will come after the next round later this month at Margaret River in WA.
