Thursday Is Ben Kelly Day, Honoring Fallen Santa Cruz Co. Surfer

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — Ben Kelly, the surfer killed May 9 after a shark attack near Manresa State Beach, will be honored Thursday, May 21 on what would have been his 27th birthday.

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors paid tribute to Kelly at its Tuesday meeting and declared Thursday "Ben Kelly Day."

Kelly was a self-taught surfboard shaper with his own business, Ben Kelly Surfboards. Friend Zachary Shull remembered him as "a good, godly, humble man who deserved many, many more laps around the sun and many more good waves."

The Orange County native was born May 21, 1993 and went on to graduate from Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, where he met his wife, Katie Kelly, and began to shape surfboards, said Supervisor John Leopold, who read aloud the "Ben Kelly Day" resolution at Tuesday's meeting. Christianity was an integral part of their lives.

The couple created digital marketing company Authentic Approach to serve small businesses and had just celebrated their 3rd wedding anniversary before Kelly died.

The Kellys moved to the Pleasure Point area in Santa Cruz County a few years ago, Leopold said. They attended Calvary Chapel in Capitola and Twin Lakes Church in Aptos. Kelly started his board shaping business Ben Kelly surfboards and signed every board by hand, Leopold said.

Kelly spent his last moments surfing with close friends, Leopold said.

Kelly left a lasting impression on Santa Cruz County and "set an example through his adventurous spirit, his humble attitude, his readiness to admit his faults and his giving and accepting of grace, and his striving to live and love better," Leopold said.

Local singer-songwriter Keith Greeninger played a song in tribute to Kelly during the meeting.

Mrs. Kelly was in attendance and thanked the Santa Cruz community for its support. She said she was overwhelmed by the response, even though the couple had lived in the area for three-and-a-half years.

"We just really, really thank you for the way that Santa Cruz has just come as family to us," she said. "I really appreciate this, God bless you guys."

A memorial fund for Ben Kelly has garnered more than $135,000 in donations, with proceeds going toward his burial and helping Mrs. Kelly with her living expenses for the time being. Donate here on GoFundMe.

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