Yesterday, Chris and I swung by the beach to check the surf (because the day prior it had been so perfect it was amazing!), and it happened that the organization "Surfer's Healing" was there holding one of their day-long events for children with autism. They take the children out into the open ocean on a longboard (wearing life vests), and catch a wave! For both the parents and the children it is an amazing experience! The look on the children's faces as they're riding their first wave is just exhiliration and pure glee! As soon as TJ got home from school, we took him straight there and got him a spot to take a ride! I truly thought that TJ would put up a fight and not want to go out, but he went out there on that board like a champ and caught his first wave ever!
As his parents and avid surfers, we couldn't have been more proud and excited for him! It gives us hope that maybe one day he will join us in our love for the sport.
To make a donation (this truly is a worthy cause!) or register your child with autism for this amazing experience, visit their website here:
http://www.surfershealing.org
This event is run by the Paskowitz family, a family known throughout the surfing community for being the first true "surf camp". This incredible family of 9 children, spent their lives growing up living in a camper and traveling around surfing hundreds of locations.
You can check out their surf camp here:
http://www.paskowitz.com/
(Chris went here when he was younger!)
Check out TJ's first WAVE!!:
