Smiles, surfing and achieving with Surfers for Autism

Surfers for Autism held its sixth-annual event at the Flagler Pier on Aug. 22 with 200 autistic children and adults learning to ride the waves.

By Anastasia Pagello
| 5:51 p.m. August 22, 2015

Casey Anderson grins from ear to ear while surfing.

Julian Ryan, also known by his friends as Captain Smiles, takes on a wave all by himself.

Fred Moor holds on while instructor Chris Sundstrom guides the board through the water.

Nicole Januszkiewicz helps Mason McCracken learn to surf.

Volunteer surf instructor Miranda Funtef pushes participant Derek Moor to catch a wave.

Anthony Blaha gives his dad, Steve Blaha, a huge bear hug after ridding some waves. Photography by Anastasia Pagello

Surf instructor Nikita Cook with her pupil Jonathan Rivera, his mother Tracy Rivera and fellow surf instructor Greg Anest.

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Hundreds of people crowded Flagler Beach all day Saturday, Aug. 22, for the sixth-annual Surfers for Autism event. The event is held 14 times a year, starting off in Australia then on to many locations through Florida with a stop off in Tybee Island, Georgia. At each location the event allows 200 participants, children and adults, with autism to surf with skilled instructors.

Surfers for Autism is sponsored by many local and national businesses. This year 16 local restaurants catered free food and drinks for all the participants and families. Thirty surfboards were donated by Global Surf Industries, and Sun Bum provided free sunscreen for all who attended. Live music by Robert Keele set the mood as the kids dashed through the water in earnest to catch their next wave.

The events make a huge impact on the disabled participants' lives, as well as their families' lives.

“After one of these events he is on a super high; we all are,” Michelle Weppner said about her autistic son, Nate. The two drove all the way from Boca Raton the day of the event.

Many of the families look forward to the events and creating new lifelong friendships with other families who share similar situations. Many of the same participants look forward to coming back every year.

“This is one of the best things about having autism, I get to do these events,” Elijah Kelly said to his mother that morning.

Surfers for Autism was started eight years ago by a small group in Deerfield Beach. Every event thereafter has been sold out with 200 participants and around 300 volunteers.

Surfing transforms the autistic children’s mindset as they accomplish riding a wave. In many instances non-verbal children have spoken their first words while surfing at the events amidst an amazing support group. The volunteers and families pull together to create a memorable moment for the children as they reach a great achievement.