Over the the past 50 years, PADI has been The Way the World Learns to Dive – and we couldn’t do this without our PADI Pros! PADI Pros change countless lives each year, and we asked you to nominate the instructor, Divemaster, or Assistant Instructor who inspired you throughout your scuba diving journey. Whether it was helping you overcome a particular fear, or just developing your skills patiently, we received many encouraging stories and inspiring words about your PADI Pros. We’re excited to announce the below winners of this year’s I Love My PADI Pro contest!
1st Place PADI Pro Prize Winner: Shaun Schuster
Entrant: Carissa Schuster
Prizes: Suunto EON Steel Dive Computer & Zeagle F8 Regulator
“I married my dive instructor, his patience with me, his confidence, knowledge and professionalism are what attracted me to him. We got married in front of our favorite dive site where he asked me to be his girlfriend underwater. I am so happy that diving has brought us so close. Thanks PADI for making such a wonderful dive instructor for me to meet!”
2nd Place PADI Pro Prize Winner: Stefano Sindici
Entrant: Federica Sindici
Prizes: BARE Reactive Wetsuit & Atomic X1 BladeFins
“S-cuba Diving truly changed my life, T-hanks to my favorite PADI Pro and his E-nthusiasm towards his job and the underwater world! F-ear was changed in true passion and love thanks to him, who A-mazed me from my very first plunge in the ocean! N-ever will I be grateful enough to him for changing my life and he O-bviously is my true HERO: my favorite PADI Pro, my instructor but most important, my brother forever! Thank you Stefano, my love for you is as deep as the ocean that you made me fall in love with!”
3rd Place PADI Pro Prize Winner: Mark Pendley
Entrant: Noah Rattner
Prizes: $100 worth of PADI Swag for PADI Pro and entrant.
“I had the great fortune of having Mark Pendley (MSDT) as my instructor for Rescue Diver in Summer 2015. Mark goes beyond the PADI standards for each RD course and truly enables each student to find their place in an emergency scenario. Between his realistic simulation weekend, personal testimony, and taking students to a hyperbaric chamber, he truly sets the stage for students to take the next step and become a PADI Pro. Mark takes pride in every student he works with and truly encourages each student to realize their diving potential.”
Interested in becoming a PADI Pro? Learn more here.