Randy “The Craw” Miod was murdered in the Palisades Fire last week, and the Malibu surfing community is in grief for the death of one of its most recognizable members.
Living in the same small red house along the Pacific Coast Highway for decades, Miod, 51, also known as “The Malibu Man of Mystery,” made the place a popular hangout for surfers who sought a respite from the waves.
According to friends, Miod loved surfing so much that he welcomed everyone who felt the same way.
Among such pals was Todd Proctor, who met Miod on the lake when he was just 12 years old and remained friends with him for decades. Miod offered his own ideas that influenced Proctor’s destiny years later, when he was expected to attend college after high school.
“He says, ‘Well, that’s simple. You should drop out of school and become a boardsman. This is the proper course of action for you. Proctor remembered.
He was known as “The Craw,” as his arms naturally arched inward, like what they believed to be a crawfish. After accepting his moniker, he finally called the home he moved into as a teenager “The Crab Shack.”
Miod, according to Proctor, maintained an open door policy for anyone in need of a place to sleep or a place to stay overnight. He had only one requirement: positive vibrations.
“He had a deep affection for people. “You often hear that term, but he actually did,” Proctor remarked.
Miod endured a long list of natural calamities during the decades he lived in “The Crab Shack,” including rock slides, mudslides, additional fires, tsunami warnings, and more. In February 2024, he spoke with KCAL News about the day a huge boulder came dangerously close to his house.
Proctor believes this is the reason he stayed put when the Palisades Fire started on Tuesday.
“His few things was, ‘I’m fine,’ and he was joking, ‘I’ve been through this before, don’t worry about me,'” he stated.
Sadly, this time the fire spread to his house, destroying it all and leaving just the ruins of “The Crab Shack” standing. On the hillside, where he probably spent innumerable evenings with both friends and strangers, is a charred garden chair.
According to Proctor, the Malibu community will never be able to fully comprehend his loss.
“Thank you Craw, brightened up my life, encouraged me,” he replied. “Brightened up everybody’s life.”