Mark Foo (born Mark Sheldon Foo on February 5, 1958 – December 23, 1994) was a professional surfer.

Born in Singapore to a Chinese photojournalist for the U.S. Information Agency he relocated to Hawaii at age 4.

Foo spent his early childhood surfing the South Shore of O'ahu. His family moved several times during his

adolescence, but Foo ultimately returned to Hawaii just before finishing high school. He continued surfing

throughout his teen years and in 1977 he joined a professional surfing tour, the IPS World Tour. In the early 1980s,

Foo quit the IPS World Tour, stopped competing, and began surfing Waimea Bay, a famous big wave surfing

spot on the North Shore of O'ahu. Foo's passion for surfing big waves led him to surf larger and larger swells.

On December 23, 1994, Mark Foo died in a surfing accident at Mavericks, a big wave break off the coast of

Northern California. During take-off on an 18 foot wave, Foo experienced a seemingly innocuous wipeout

which resulted in his drowning. Foo's death shook the big wave surfing community, as one of its pioneers had died.

On December 30th, over 700 people arrived at Waimea Bay in Hawaii for Mark's funeral.

Approximately 150 surfers paddled into the Bay and formed a large circle. One of the participants, who was

carrying a container with Foo's ashes, paddled into the center of the circle and placed the ashes into the ocean.

Foo helped elevate the popularity of the sport, with his talent, courage, and enthusiasm, and was certainly

recognized as one of the greatest big-wave surfers to ever ride the waves. Mark was a favorite subject of

photographers, and he had his own cable television surfing program. "If you want to ride the ultimate wave,

you have to be willing to pay the ultimate price" was Foo's philosophy, which he certainly lived

until the day of his final ride.