For the past several years, our people supported have headed over to Rockaway Beach in Queens to ride the waves during the summer season. With the help of Wheeling Forward, a non-profit organization whose mission is to enable people with disabilities to see possibilities where others see insurmountable obstacles, our participants set out for a day full of surfing, connection, and fun.

Around 15 to 20 participants attend the surfing event every year during this highly anticipated event, many of whom have become familiar faces. Upon arrival, surfers meet with volunteers who assess their individual needs and determine which equipment will work best to provide the greatest level of comfort and support. The event has a variety of adaptive equipment designed to accommodate people with different needs and abilities.

For returning surfer Shaniqua Freeman, this event has become a tradition. Having attended nearly every surfing event, she has watched her assurance grow with each wave. “At first I was scared, but as the years went on, I built up my comfort and confidence,” she shares. “I fall into the water every year and go back. I look forward to this trip every summer.”

Like Shaniqua, other surfers shared that they “love surfing because it was something different for [them] to try”, while others encouraged “anyone and everyone [to] try it at least one time.”

Peter Cobb, Director of Community Outreach, shares that these moments can be empowering for participants who may have once believed that certain experiences were out of reach. It’s clear that adaptive surfing has become more than an opportunity to get into the water and surf; it has flourished into an annual tradition to hang out with friends and meet new ones as well.

As another summer comes to a close, many participants are already looking forward to returning to Rockaway Beach next year. Beyond the waves, adaptive surfing helps participants redefine what’s possible. Experiences that may once have seemed unattainable have become achievable through the support of volunteers, adaptive equipment, and self-determination. Above all, it has become an event that not only helps surfers build confidence, but also inspires them to tackle their fears, whether that means riding the waves again or trying something new.