Surfers and Participants have the time of their lives at the annual Surfers Healing Event in Wrightsville Beach, NC

A POWERFUL EXPERIENCE

Many children with autism struggle with sensory overload; in other words, simple sensations can overwhelm them. The weightlessness and rhythms of the ocean offer a therapeutic experience, a respite from the constant assault on their senses.

Surfers Healing is the original surf camp for children with autism. What we offer isn’t a ‘cure’, or even ‘traditional’ therapy. It’s a completely different sensation and environment for our participants. We give individuals a chance to encounter the waves, to challenge themselves, to try something new. And since 1 in every 68 US children has an ASD (CDC report, March 2014), our work is more vital than ever.

Our biggest challenge? Getting kids to come out of the water! Once they ride with us, they don’t want to stop.

Attending our camps positively impacts children with autism; the experience helps instill confidence and calm. Yet over the years we’ve seen that Surfers Healing also has a profound impact on parents. Autism parents are always hearing about what their children cannot do. But at a Surfers Healing camp, it’s all about what their kids can do.

In the words of one volunteer, “For parents to see their kid up on a surfboard … sometimes, it’s nothing less than a miracle.”

Please CLICK HERE to learn more about, get involved, or donate to Surfers Healing camps around the WORLD.

Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

With the help of dedicated volunteers, John Pike has been able to bring Izzy Paskowitz and his team of professional surfers to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina every year since 2006. We are excited to announce that in spring of 2021, Nikki Bascome became our new local director; John is still with us too.

Our NC camp expanded from a 1 day surf camp serving 70 children in 2006 to a 2 day surf camp serving over 300 children (pre-covid and hoping to return to this post-covid). Fortunately, our second day of camp is reserved for active service personnel affected by autism. CLICK HERE to see upcoming events to support this free camp and also camp dates.

We are more than JUST a free surf camp, we are a family (OHANA) and our NC camp has become a family reunion. Strangers become friends, friends become family.

Feel free to join our NC family on facebook and instagram

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IN MEMORY OF OUR FRIEND, GEORGE HARTNER

George was a passionate surfer in all seasons and loved nothing more than spending time in the lineup with friends and strangers alike.

George never met someone he couldn’t find a way to connect to, and he counted among his friends rock stars and blue collar workers alike. His relationships were never about status, but human connection. There was no one that George had more time for than the underdog. From children experiencing a tough upbringing to those with special needs, George made sure that they felt seen and treasured.

George was such a valued member of our Surfers Healing family, and he was the brain behind our ‘One Perfect Summer’ CD to raise funds for the cause. He loved music, especially that of The Beatles and Bob Dylan. He started numerous bands and musical projects and produced several albums which were windows into a complex and loving soul. The ‘One Perfect Summer’ project will embody his passion for children, music, and surfing forever in his memory.

George faced a lifelong struggle with bipolar disorder, for which he sought treatment and would talk openly with anyone who he thought could benefit from hearing about someone else’s pain. In 2022, the depression worsened and began to resist forms of treatment that had previously helped. After several years of fighting to find relief from the pain, George made the decision to end his own life.

His family would like to express that while suicide is not something to be glorified, George’s decision to find release from his years of suffering is something that we understand and respect. In a kinder world, the resources available to George while he was in treatment would have struck a balance between finding holistic, spiritual answers to his pain along with traditional medication. Those who worked with George during his depression did amazing and compassionate work but were often up against a medical and insurance system that does not fully empathize or understand the pain that comes with mental illness.

The stigma surrounding mental illnesses often leaves patients feeling isolated and embarrassed about their condition. These struggles are as real and impactful as any illness of the body. This stigma does nothing to help those struggling from mental illness and often makes it harder to seek treatment and recover.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations be made in George’s memory to Surfers Healing. We’d like to thank the following families and individuals who donated in his honor:

Karen McGloin Knapp

Nancy Howeth Galasso

Lisa Farrell Molano

Sue Klemm

Jane Cockrell

Anne Berrien

Mary Ruth Marshall

Lisa Hall

Susan Donnelly

Fred Metzger

Joseph Farmer

Patricia Kennelly

Laura Spitalniak

Walter Aviles

Katie Smart

Kevin Parker

Todd Burnette

Jennifer Egeter

Lindsey King

Emma Brainerd

Margaret Carr

Bonita Matthews

Susan Pizzolato

Jan Schnitzlein

Andy Elias

Sara Burroughs

Rich Largman

Jo El Skipper

Jim & Sharyn Zembruski

Sandra Blackman

Pamela Harnett

Jean Sandlin

Garrett Shaver

Stephen Lane

Margaret Basten

A POWERFUL EXPERIENCE

Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

IN MEMORY OF OUR FRIEND, GEORGE HARTNER

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