Surfers Healing more than just a day at the beach for local families The Herald | HeraldOnline.com
On Aug. 24 at Folly Beach, the nonprofit group Surfers Healing - founded by professional surfers Israel and Danielle Paskowitz, themselves parents of an autistic child - hosted its fourth annual camp. Camps bring professional and experienced surfers who share their boards with autistic children, then award medals and do whatever else possible to support both child and family. Even Irene helped out by veering northeast.
"Seeing the smiles on the faces of the children and their parents is magical," said Amber Ayers, administrative coordinator for Surfers Healing and mom to her own camper. "The very best part is showing the parents their special kids can do so much more than ever imagined."
Unlike the De Sa family, Kim Garhart and son Nolan weren't making a repeat camp trip Aug. 22 when they hit Wrightsville Beach, N.C.
"It was our first year," Garhart said. "We could not keep him out of the water."
Nolan turned 6 on Friday. He seldom speaks but woke up in the middle of the night after surfing from 9 a.m. to almost 5 p.m. talking about the ocean, the sand, surfboards. It was the soundtrack to a joy his parents witnessed on the beach, in a boy refusing to leave the water.
