Australian surfer Mick Fanning has won his heat at the Pipeline Masters in Hawaii just hours after the death of his brother Peter.
Fanning learned of the death of his older brother Peter, but carried on surfing in the competition and did not mention the tragedy until after his third round heat.
The cause of his death has not been confirmed, but it is being reported that he passed away in his sleep.
The 34-year-old beat Hawaiian Jamie O'Brien 12.14 to 2.70 to advance to the event's fourth round as he chasing his fourth world title.
An emotional Fanning broke down when talking about his "personal" issues, although he didn't mention what they were.
"It's been a huge day. Just got some personal stuff going on at home, and just yeah, it's sort of heavy to talk about right now," said Fanning.
Rip Curl, a brand which sponsors Fanning, confirmed that Peter had passed away.
"This is a sad and unfortunate incident and is a private matter for the family to deal with," a Rip Curl spokesperson said.
Fanning lost his younger brother Sean in a car accident in 1998.
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