Randy Dible has been a photographer for 40 years and has taken thousands of photos. He never imagined one of them would capture a moment in the final month of someone’s life.
He sells his work along Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach. About three weeks ago, Callum Robinson, one of the surfers found dead in Baja California, stopped by his booth and bought one of his pieces: a picture of Ocean Beach.
“Every time somebody buys something, I always take a photo of somebody who buys my photo kind of for photographic records,” Dible said.
That day he took a photo of Callum with the photo he had picked. While talking with Callum, Randy found out they lived a block away from each other and had mutual friends.
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A couple of days later, Randy went to Callum’s house to drop off the photo he had purchased.
“You know [we] drank a couple beers and he said his brother was coming into town in a couple of weeks and wanted to take him down to Mexico,” Dible said.
Callum asked Dible for recommendations of places to surf in Mexico.
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“So, I drew him a little map, I said where to go and then he asked me if I wanted to go and I said, 'Sure it sounds fun,' you know,” Dible said.
Dible mentioned Santo Tomas to Callum because he’s surfed there for decades.
“I’ve been going down to Santo Tomas Valley ever since I was a toddler, you know. I found it very safe,” Dible said.
Two days ago, he heard about his disappearance.
“So, I had a photo of him, that’s when I heard. I read in the newspaper that these guys were missing, and then I read who it was, I go, 'Wait, I’ve heard that name, where do I know that name?' I racked my brain and then somebody called me and said, 'They found Callum,'” Dible said.
He remembered Callum, not only because of the time they spent together but because Callum had even invited Randy to go on the surfing trip. Randy could not go, but he never imagined something so tragic would happen in a place that had so many good memories.
“I just feel bad because maybe if we didn’t meet, this wouldn’t have happened to them,” Dible said.
Callum and his brother from across the world touched the hearts of so many here in San Diego.
“I still can’t wrap my head around it,” Trevor Hensley, who knew Callum, said.
Callum was a private lacrosse coach for Hensley's son, Jake.
“At that moment in Jake's period of life, he was, it was somebody he could identify with, who he could see kind of himself in and it just inspired him in a big way,” Hensley said.
Hensley said his son was dealing with the trauma of surviving a school shooting at Saugus High School. He said when his son met Callum, that’s when everything changed.
“Those two guys had a connection right away,” Hensley said.
Hensley said Callum’s character forged a special bond instantly.
That is also true for the third young man, Carter Rhoad. Rhoad graduated from PLNU, where he played soccer. Those who knew him say he had a heart for service. The Monarch school told NBC 7 that Carter was an off-campus mentor who cared deeply about his students.
Meanwhile, Jake and Callum’s parents released a statement, saying they take comfort in knowing they are together.
