Mitchell was a known entity from NSB to RC's during the 70's 80's and 90's. He was a 5'7" regular footed shredder with bright rust-red long hair. Mitchell was a magnet for adventure and opportunity. Like most Fla surfers he dreamed of California waves. Right out of high school he HAD to go to SoCal to surf. That was the adventure, the opportunity came because of the Mexican Paraquat scare in 1978. NYT Paraquat scare Knowing the struggles that the Cal surfers were having, Mitchell and a buddy sealed pounds of high quality untainted Jamaican red-bud into the spare tire of a 1971 2-door Ford Pinto wagon and hit the road. Using a brick on the gas as cruise control they drove to California. The time, money and adventures lasted months where Mitchell lived large and surfed hard. He returned and hit the books, receiving a PolySci deg from UF. Looking for money to start law school, he took an IRS agent job in SoCal. After 3 weeks of employment, he was laid off by the Reagan Federal Job cuts program NYT Reagan bill Adapting as he always did, Mitchell decided to live in his car and crash on buddies' couches so he could stay in SoCal. Using the UCSD gym for his shower, Mitchell lived small and surfed hard for 6-8 months. He returned to complete UF law school and took the bar exam 3 years later. He had the highest score of all of those tested in Fla that day. Mitchell practiced Law in Orlando. First with a large firm, but that cut into surf time, so he struck out on his own. In March 2001 while working late in his office, OPD responded to a false B&E report. Guns were drawn by OPD upon entry, but they made no call out while coming through the door. Mitchell heard a noise and met the female officer with a gun to her face. Upon realizing this was OPD, Mitchell lowered his weapon and a large overzealous male officer grabbed Mitchell from behind and force him down into a straight back chair severely injuring his lower back. Mitchell's life became an uphill battle after this occurrence. Multiple surgeries and chronic pain severely impacted his ability to surf and to live life to the fullest. He struggled for many years with these issues. In the last year of his life Mitchell returned to his hometown of Cocoa and started to engage more with his family and friends. He was more of his old self than he had been in decades. He was trying hard to return to surfing and, in the last 6 weeks, paddled out 2-3 times. On the 28th he entered the water at the North boardwalk for RC's. We heard that while surfing he signaled another surfer that he was in trouble. He made it back to the beach, collapsed and was not revived. I would like to thank all the people that knew Mitchell and called him a friend. Those friendships helped Mitchell immensely. I would also like to find the people that helped him or witnessed his struggles up to the sand to both thank them and to discover anything of his final moments. Please PM me if you can help.
A celebration of life and memorial paddle out will occur in the near future. Details will be posted in this thread.
Good waves to all, pray for surf......
RS


Edited: 01/31/2022 at 01:57 PM by RocketSurf

What is it that brings us back to the ocean like that? Your brother sounds like someone we'd all share a wave with.

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add a signature since I'm here in profile anyway

Bummer. My coundolescense to you and your family and friends who knew him. R.I.P Mitchell.

So sorry RocketSurf.

Rocketsurf, I'm so sorry about the passing of your brother. I was out at RC's that day but was not close by so all I saw was a crowd on the beach and at the time didn't realize what was going on. Later it filtered out to the surf zone that a guy had a heart attack, and then a little later that he didn't make it. A surfing acquaintance of mine zipped up his wet suit in the parking lot. When I told friends of mine about what happened of course they asked who was it to which I replied I don't know. Well now with your post I realize that I do know you brother Mitchell and have known him for a very long time. I also think I might know you as well if you are the guy that kneeboards? Anyway I don't have contact info for the guy in the parking lot but I do for one of his friends. I'll text the guys friend and hopefully he'll reply with direct contract info so that you can talk to this surfer who help Mitchell with his wetsuit. I'll private message you with my contact info. My wife said she heard about it on FB group "Satellite Beach Raw" and someone posted that there husband helped get Mitchell to the beach.

Edited: 01/31/2022 at 02:59 PM by grdsurf

I am that kneeboarder....
Thanks for the last on Raw...will check it out


Edited: 01/31/2022 at 03:02 PM by RocketSurf

At least he was back to the thing that animated when his time was up. You write well. I feel like I have a pretty good idea of who he was. My condolences.

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"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.

I have heard about this surfer running into trouble at RCs on this last swell with no further details. My condolences. Sounds like he had lived a great surfing life, and then mother ocean finally took him back home

Edited: 01/31/2022 at 03:17 PM by seaspray

RocketSurf, sorry about the Kneeboarder mis ID, I guess I confused you with someone else.

Edited: 01/31/2022 at 04:45 PM by grdsurf

sorry to hear RocketSurf. I surfed Seagull Friday morning and thought I heard sirens at some point. hope to celebrate his memories at a paddle out.

Hey Grdsurf, No mis-ID.....I am that Kneeboarder. I talked to you at Playlinda in the water on that fun swell, last month?

RocketSurf, I am very sorry for your loss. Mitchell was a good friend of mine for over 40 years and I miss him already. He was an all around good guy, good surfer and super smart. I was shocked when I heard the bad news on Friday, and still can not believe this has happened. I was stoked that he had started surfing again after so many years and was looking forward to surfing with him. Over the years Mitchell had told me many of the stories that RocketSurf mentioned above like the OPD story that pretty much changed the way his life would follow. A funny story involved him running into grdsurf driving a family borrowed pink Mary Kay car in SoCal. Rocket, keep us all informed about the paddle out, I will definitely be there. Let me know if I can do anything to help with this or anything else. R.I.P. Mitchell.

Edited: 01/31/2022 at 05:15 PM by surfrc

That's a nice tribute to your brother. May he RIP.

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I :heart; Q

God Bless RocketSurf I'm so sorry for the loss of your brother RIP

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Surf Hard Live Long. Peace Out

Sorry to hear the news RS. I hope he is surfing the great swell in the sky pain free.

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http://www.crsurf.com ~ CR Surf Travel Company

http://www.vacationsbygreg.com
Instagram - @crsurf

RS, very sorry for your loss. Great write up.. Def lived the adventurous surfer life style

Can't say that I knew him personally but probably surfed with him somewheres around the area over the years..

Paddled out on the north side but ended up down on the south side - saw the gathering on the beach etc, but didn't know that anyone had died until I was left the water - didn't even know it was a surfer until you posted this....

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There are NO white people at all in the Bible... take all the time you need with that...
Please stop feeding the trolls - they will go away if you do...

Mitchell L Wyle December 12, 1958 - January 28, 2022 Local surfer and attorney Mitchell Leland Wyle of Orlando and Cocoa, Florida died suddenly on January 28, 2022 while surfing at his favorite spot, RC's in Satellite Beach, Florida. He was 63 years old. Born on December 12, 1958, in Oakland, California to the late Harold Elwood Wyle and Shirley Wright Wyle, Mitchell was raised in Brevard County from the age of six. He began surfing at the age of 12 and it became his enduring passion. He was an excellent student with a keen and questioning mind who graduated from Cocoa High School in 1977. He continued on to the University of Florida where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Political Science in 1981 and a Juris Doctor (JD) Law degree in 1985. He was a proud member of the University of Florida Surf Team, where he made lifelong friends. Mitchell followed his father in his love of nature. His knowledge of birds was amazing to include identification by call only. Mitchell was a wordsmith and spent time dissecting words to discover their history and meaning. Just about every time you spoke with him, he had a new word to share and discuss. He was super smart, kind and loved guitars and music. Mitchell was a warm person who loved his family and friends. Mitchell and his big brother Milon were inseparable from youth, traveling to California to surf or to the Rockies with a group of friends for weeks of partying and hard-core skiing. Mitchell loved to regale his six nieces and nephews - whom he lovingly called "niblings" - with stories of his youth. He never ran out! He generously contributed to the college funds of his "niblings." Mitchell cherished the cats he owned in his lifetime and the large centennial oak "Orville" in his yard in Orlando, Florida. We were lucky to connect with the caring people that helped Mitchell on that final day. The family would like to express our deepest thanks to each and every person who helped us to know the details of his day. From the surfer who connected us with those involved in his rescue efforts, to those who assisted and rendered love and care in his final moments, we thank you from the bottoms of our hearts. We know that your actions lifted him up and gave him hope. Mitchell is survived by his mother Shirley Wyle Blum of Melbourne; his sister Laura (Chuck) Wyle Ennis of Melbourne; brother Milon (Michelle) Wyle of Cocoa Beach; and sister Alison (Tim) Wyle Osborne of Jupiter. He is also survived by his nieces and nephews, Derrick (Amelia) Wyle, Rachel (Ben) Barnes, Kelly (Andrew) Pelehach, Corey Osborne, Connor Ennis, Haley Osborne and four grand "niblings." A Celebration of Life and Memorial Paddle-Out will be held on Sunday, February 20th at Pelican Beach Park Pavilion, Satellite Beach. Friends and family are welcome to gather at the pavilion at 11 a.m. The ceremony will begin at 12 p.m. with Paddle-Out to follow and we will spend the afternoon in fellowship at the beach. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to Kindness For Cats (www.kindnessforcats.org) or Brevard Humane Society (brevardhumanesociety.org). If you wish to send the family a message or share a story, please visit Mitchell's memorial page at www.davisseawinds.com.

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JMA

RIP Mitchell, you were loved by many.

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JMA

Thanks all, for your condolences and well wishes. Thanks Grdsurf for the connection to those who helped. Thanks JMA for getting that info out.

Edited: 02/11/2022 at 01:31 PM by RocketSurf

He named his oak tree, he sounds like my kind of person. I imagine he understood and respected things that most people on the planet take for granted. There are too few of his kind in the world and now there is one less. That sucks.

Years ago, I had a conversion with an elderly friend who had an interesting connection with the spiritual side of the world. The conversation was about trees and he explained that they are connected to the planet in ways we don't understand. The roots twist and turn and reach into the soil and that soil is comprised of things that stretch back to time eternal. He asked me if I had ever talked to one and I said no, then I gave him that tilted head look that one gives to the guy ranting Old Testament damnation on top of a milk crate in the park. He smiled and then asked me to try it. I was to find a solid old tree that I liked, wrap my arms around it, lean my forehead against the trunk, then open my mind. I agreed I would, but didn't think much about it after that day. Ed passed six months after the conversation.

About a year after Ed's willing departure from this world - he had a nasty cancer and was ready for the next adventure - I was working in the middle of the state and ended up eating my lunch under a giant oak. As I ate, I thought about those who might have been in my exact spot in generations past; settlers, Native tribes-people, maybe a freed slave. My imagination scrolled back like an old-time movie reel. It was a neat experience and I even took a picture through the branches for my collection. I finished eating and went back to work, when I finished, I glanced at the sprawling tree and Ed popped into my mind. This was the tree he had been talking about. I said, "Okay Ed, let's see what happens." I sized up the tree for the most comfortable spot...it turns out there are no comfortable spots on old oaks, but I followed the method he suggested and then cleared my mind. It felt weird at first, then I got a clear mental image of the roots spreading out in all directions and....the rest is personal. I will say it was a very interesting experience.

You brother sounds a lot like my friend Ed. I truly am sorry for your loss.

P.S. You should tell Orville about him if you get the chance.




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I was right.

Edited: 02/14/2022 at 10:18 PM by Cole