A couple years ago, I asked if any of you had any experience with Surfers Healing or Surfers for Autism as I had recently received an autism diagnosis with my son. It brought up some great conversation and I hope Surffoils is reading this. Rather than resurrecting that post, I figured I’d just tell my story here.
At first we really tried to figure out a way to get our son involved with a Surfers Healing event. As time went by, though, it became clear that it wouldn’t happen. We are landlocked in Washington state, so it would mean traveling and planning a family trip around one event. On top of that, I began surfing with my daughter, so I knew that someday I would be able to take my son - when he was ready. We also wakesurf behind the boat, and our son LOVES doing that, so I wasn’t too worried about being able to surf with him in the future.
We just got back from a family vacation to Cabo. The first day there, we got to the beach early, and after getting the family all set up, I jumped in the water and paddled out. On my way out, I noticed a couple Surfers Healing rash guards, and my mind started wondering. When I got all the way to the lineup, I looked over and saw Izzy Paskowitz (founder of Surfers Healing) in the water helping some people learn to surf. When he had them go on a wave, I paddled over and introduced myself and told him about our son. He lit up, and asked if we were going to be part of the event today. I couldn’t believe it. After sorta giving up on trying to be a part of an event like this, it just fell into my lap.
I caught a wave in and ran up on the beach to tell my wife. She began to cry. After a long discussion, we decided it would be better for a total stranger to take our son surfing for the first time and not me. So when it came time to go, Nick (one of the instructors) snatched up our son without warning, threw him on a board, and paddled out. In a panic, I grabbed my daughter, a big ole board, and followed them out.
I’m so thankful for Nick, Izzy, and Surfers Healing. Our son caught four waves and loved every minute of it. I doubt his first experience would have been as good with me as it was with Nick. That’s just the way autism is sometimes. Nick didn’t put up with his defiance because Nick had done this before with so many other children just like our son. The defiance, screaming, kicking, and punching goes right out the door after that first wave. I spent a lot of time in and out of the water watching our son and 25 other Mexican kids with autism go through the same exact thing. Total temper tantrums before getting in the water, but returning to the beach with smiles, laughter and wanting more. It was an amazing day filled with a lot of laughter and a lot of joyful tears.
Surfing invokes a stoke that is uncomparable to any other activity in life. Plain and simple. I got a break from autism that day. The good lord provided a special encounter that my family will never forget. The first two pictures are of Nick and my son. The third is my daughter and me.
