Support creative talents memorialize Alexis’ life

My brother, Alexis Cottovaz-Usher, was diagnosed in February 2024 with pancreatic cancer, a devastating disease known for its aggressive nature and late detection. Since his diagnosis, Alexis has undergone an intense course of medical treatment including several months of chemotherapy, a 12 hour surgery, followed more chemotherapy and radiation treatments. This experience has been far more challenging than Alexis ever anticipated, and has tested his limits physically, mentally and financially. Navigating the medical system, understanding each new stage of treatment, and managing the unexpected hurdles have been overwhelming for him. The financial strain has been significant. 

 

As a result of his treatments and weakened physical condition, Alexis has not been able to work this entire year. He has exhausted his life savings, almost all of his assets, and had to sell his truck and personal belongings. He was forced to use credit cards to cover the ongoing medical expenses and living costs just to stay afloat. He has ongoing medical care, and may need  to seek experimental treatment if traditional methods and therapies are not successful. All of this will cost more money and will unfortunately drive him deeper into debt. He has struggled to move forward on this long and difficult journey, but he has been extremely thankful for the love and support he receives from his friends and family.

 

Because of this, we are reaching out to our beloved family, friends, and cherished community members to see if they can offer any financial contribution to aid the burden this emergency has caused to Alexis and support his recovery in any way, so he can continue live, regain his health, and get back to enjoying his life, family and friends in California. Our goal amount will cover the medical expenses he has incurred, and continues to incur, and hopefully allow him to pay off the mountain of credit card debt he has accumulated over the past several months just so he could survive and get treated.

 

Despite the challenges Alexis continues to face,  he remains committed to not just surviving, but to flourishing and continuing to create and contribute to this world in multiple positive ways. Those of you who know Alexis will recall his passion for surfing and creating projects to document the sport, the beach lifestyle, and surfing culture. He was a professional surfer, photographer and film maker, and put out numerous surf films through the company he created, Stormproof Films.

 

Alexis won the Rincon Classic in multiple divisions and traveled the world as a young professional surfer. He was an early member of the Channel Islands surf team, working with Al Merrick since the mid 70s in his shaping room, collaborating together on designs during the heyday of the shortboard revolution. He was ranked No. 2 in the WSA Seasonal 1981-82 and came in 4th place at the WSA Nationals in South Padre Island, Texas that same year. He was ranked 46th on the IPSA /ASP world tour during the 1984,85 Season, before he came professional debut in 1986,87 and was in the top 33 on the PSAA-(professional surfing association of America) and top 16 in the EPSA-(European professional surfing association) in 1990-91 seasons.

 

Before this diagnosis, Alexis's world was mostly about movement and capturing life's most dynamic moments through sports. He has always lived life full throttle. Through the decades, he has lived and documented the raw, unfiltered spirit of extreme sports, creating underground classics like “Good 'n' Plenty 1 & 2”, his photography book “Shutterspeed’, and his “Should’ve Been There Yesterday” calendar, and chronicling the vibrant world of Surf, Skate and Snowboarding. Many of his StormProof Films have premiered at multiple festivals, becoming underground classics that defined multiple generations of action sports through his storytelling and masterful lens.

 

Cancer has now refined his vision. Where he once sought to capture external motion, he is now documenting an internal landscape. Each medical procedure is its own kind of wave, each treatment a different current. His lens has turned inward, he is discovering that the most profound stories aren't always the most spectacular, but often the most honest.

 

Alexis, through his family and friends, is now reaching out to the community via “Go Fund Me” hoping this can help with his financial situation. Your donation, and even thoughts and prayers, are deeply appreciated. We will give continuous updates. 

 

Personal Statement from Alexy:

“I’m not done creating. Far from it. I'm working on a few comprehensive projects—part memoir, part medical guide documenting my cancer journey. It's not just about my experience, but about providing a roadmap for other patients. I want to demystify the process, to show that even in the most challenging waves, there's a way to navigate, to help survive, to create.”

 

Thank you for your support, love, and positive energy.