OCEAN CITY, Md. – On Wednesday, Surfers Healing, an organization that exposes people with autism to surfing, held one of their annual surf camp events in Ocean City. Children and adults with autism, their families, and volunteers traveled from all over the country to attend the event.
Surfers Healing, which has been hosting these gatherings since 1996, was founded by Izzy Paskowitz, a former professional surfer, and his wife, Danielle. When their son, Isaiah was diagnosed with autism, a pivotal moment of happiness in the ocean between Isaiah and Izzy, inspired the couple to eventually start the organization and introduce other families sharing their experience to surfing.
“It should have been the perfect life,” Paskowitz says. “It should have been just like everybody else. I should have been just normal and married the prettiest girl in town and had a beautiful little family. But we had an autistic son.”
When families arrived in Ocean City on Wednesday, they were met by volunteers to check-in surfers. Surfers were given a wristband, which acted as a ticket to surf. Throughout the day, an MC called out group numbers, which let surfers know when it was their turn to surf. With safety being Surfers Healing’s top priority, all surfers are required to wear a life vest before getting in the water with professional surfing instructors by their side. Volunteers provided food and drinks throughout the day, and vendors were set up on the shore selling gear, as well as businesses advertising their autism specific services.
“The smiles that you’re seeing, and the excitement and the joy,” says Corey Shegda, marketing manager with Verbal Beginnings, an organization that provides Applied Behavioral Therapy to autistic children. “It’s indescribable, and something like this, I think they should do it all the time.”
At Wednesday’s event, specifically, Surfers Healing organizers and participants agreed that the waves at Ocean City were the biggest they’ve surfed in the history of the event.
“The waves are huge in Ocean City today, and a massive riptide is pulling the kids once you get in the water down the beach,” Paskowitz says. “It’s pretty challenging. If this were 25 years ago, which would have been just me, and Isaiah when he was five years-old, I would have said, ‘We can’t do this’. But [today] is a testament to my healers, my guys, who are able to take these kids out and ride a few waves.”
Despite the big waves on Wednesday, participants still had the time of their lives. Evangeline Fitzgerald, who is autistic, has been surfing at Surfers Healing events for seven years now. Her parents, grandparents, and little brother were there to support her.
“This is what I came here for,” Fitzgerald says. “This is what I've wanted. The waves that will leave you sore the next day. The waves that will knock you down and make you feel like you are about to practically die, but you are so overjoyed that you will do it again."
Her mother, Megan Fitzgerald, was just happy to see a smile on her daughter’s face.
"When we come here, this is our family,” Fitzgerald says. “I don't have to worry about my kids here. I don't have to worry about my kid's feelings here."
Surfers Healing plans to come back to Ocean City to host an event next year, and in the years to come.
