Hevs – A Living Legend

Hevs – A Living Legend

By Dale Ghere

Written in 2004

One of the most often repeated stories from the 40’s is about “Hevs”, Brennan McClelland. The story begins in the Sandpiper where he had been drinking a few beers with his buddies. When, for some unremembered reason, he claimed that he could jump out of a plane into the ocean without a parachute. The Sandpiper was a frequent hangout for many of the pilots who were stationed at the El Toro Marine Base. There must have been several nonbelievers in the crowd because a bet was made and the jump was scheduled for the next day.

The next morning as the crowd formed on the beach there was talk of the daring jump that was to occur shortly. While the people scanned the skies for the expected plane there was much discussion about whether or not Hevs could, or would, actually make the jump. Then to the surprise of some and to the expectancy of others, Hevs arrived. He flew over the beach once and waved to everyone. On the second pass he jumped out of the plane and swam to the beach where he collected his bet. All who saw the spectacular event repeated the tale to friends and strangers alike. Who else but Hevs would have the strength and guts to jump out of airplane and survive the terrible impact of the water? Long before he pulled this stunt he was known as the most daring and accomplished waterman on the beach. No one even thought to question how he alone could manage to jump out of a plane without being killed--they should have!

What really happened was that Hevs had gone to the store and purchased three plaid shirts that looked just alike. He placed one of the shirts on a manikin and one on a friend. The third he kept for himself. He then had his friend go up in the plane, fly across the beach and wave to the crowd as he flew by. On the second pass the friend threw the manikin out of the plane near where Hevs was hiding in the kelp. The manikin had been weighted so it would immediately sink. Hevs then emerged from the kelp with his old flying goggles on, waved to the crowd and swam to the beach where he joyfully collected his bet.

This is just one of the many stories that were repeated over and over until Hevs literally became a legend in his own time. Other stories tell of him “pantsing” a friend in the middle of Coast Highway in front of the theater, acting as the joyful comic in many of the early surfing films, and the time he body-surfed the biggest wave to ever be ridden at Main Beach. It was so big he could see the marquee of the theater over the top of the bowling alley that was on the Boardwalk. His skill with a dory was unchallenged. He was a friend to every kid on the beach. He would mesmerize them by hiding watermelons under the sand before work and then he would tell the kids that he felt he could find a watermelon in the sand with his watermelon divining stick. Everyone had a great time as the melons were discovered one by one, cut open and devoured. His smile, strength, exuberance and friendship were shared with everyone.

A bronze sculpture has been carved by John Parlette, which honors the memory Hevs. Hopefully the sculpture will be permanently displayed when the new Laguna Beach Lifeguard Headquarters is built on the north end of Main Beach.