A local nonprofit made it possible for people who are wheelchair bound to ride the waves, through adaptive surfing.
The Adaptive Surf Project held its Wheel to Surf adaptive surfing event in Surfside Beach on Saturday. A team of volunteers assisted each adaptive surfer as they boarded a surf board
The event took place at the beach access point on 13th Avenue South. That is where the town of Surfside Beach recently built a wheelchair ramp, after the Surfrider Foundation and Wheel to Surf founder Brock Johnson lobbied before town council. They explained how people in wheelchairs had to be carried down the stairs to get to the beach.
Wheel to Surf was open to people of all ages and abilities, including people with cognitive disabilities such as autism. Johnson said his mission is to help people push their limits while they have fun.
“This day can change lives. It changed my life. It changes all kinds of lives. It’s not just the kids with disabilities, their families, anybody that sees they can do something they never thought of before,” he said.
