During his early teens, he developed a tumor on his left ankle which nearly caused his leg to be amputated.
After beating the cancer, Bob was involved in a serious motorcycle collision.
He first rode a surfboard at age 20 at Newport Beach, California.
Simmons was also famous for being one of the first to incorporate fiberglass and polyester resin to create a lightweight, durable surfboard.
[1] In 1954, Simmons drowned while surfing at Windansea Beach in San Diego, California.