Taylor Knox (born May 15, 1971) is an American professional surfer. Knox was born in Thousand Oaks, California and began surfing at 8 years old. He moved with his family to Carlsbad at 13 and continued to pursue his dream of becoming a pro surfer. At age 15, he had to undergo back surgery after a damaged lumbar vertebra from a skateboarding accident threatened to paralyze him. He spent the next six months in a cocoon-like body cast. In 1990, Knox participated in the World Amateur Championships in Japan. He finished fourth place, ahead of fel…