Hang Two

Dear Addie,

When we received your diagnosis years ago, the thought of you "hanging ten" and surfing gnarly waves was the farthest thing from our minds. Honestly, it wasn't there for your brother or sister either. If you know me, you know my fear of the ocean runs deep. In my mind, every shark in there is a megalodon waiting for a tasty snack - us! I know... I have issues. But here we were, attending our first Surfing for Autism OBX event. How exactly did we, with this ocean-fearing mama, get here again?

Twelve years ago, when you came into our lives, you flipped the script on what I assumed life would be like raising kids. You know what they say about assuming, well, don't. Life was so different for us from day one, and it was evident that unpredictability was about to lead the way in everything we did for the rest of our lives. We were learning life from a new perspective, including my fear of the ocean.

It only took once dipping your tiny baby toes in the salty sea for you to activate your mermaid senses. Sitting on the beach watching you build sand castles while sipping an ice-cold beverage was long gone for us. I would spend the next decade fighting your love of the ocean over my fear of it, only to realize this was a battle I was not going to win or shouldn't even try to. Side note: My younger self probably just passed out with me admitting that - just saying.

It's true - the ocean is not to be feared but embraced. It's free therapy provided by the best of the best - Mother Nature!

Admittedly it took me some time, but I finally realized the ocean can do something for you that I simply can not. Like many autistic individuals, a sensory diet is essential for your mood & mental clarity; the ocean I feared so much provided all the input you needed to calm yourself in such a fashion, as it does for so many others. I mean, who doesn't love a little vitamin sea? And seriously, have you ever met an angry surfer? I think not. It's obviously doing something good.

You see, Addie, water touches every sensory point of your body. For a kiddo like you that is HYPOsensitive to anything dealing with touch or feeling, the more extreme, the better. Add in the crashing waves, salt water, ocean breeze, sand, and sun, and it's a recipe for everything you've ever dreamed of on a perfect day.

But the question remained could you surf?

Could we be raising the next Kelly Slater? Are there Hawaiian vacations, I mean Pipeline competitions, in our future?

Besties reunited for this very moment; let Addie and Dylan's surfing adventure begin! Your heat was up first - let's do this!

The big day was finally here, and much like our autism journey, the weather was a bit predictably unpredictable, with potential showers in the forecast. Hazy and overcast as it was, with shockingly colder water temps than that of earlier in the week – you were still pumped and ready to go! With a bit of board practice in the sand the day before, it was still anyone's guess as to how all this would go.

Each surfer had one therapist and two advanced surfers paired up with them - knowing how crazy you are in the waves, Daddy and Ms. Caitlin suited up to help just in case 😉. Now, with everyone's best efforts, you found your enjoyment in jumping in the waves. Still, you rode not a surfboard but a bodyboard once, which was a-ok. You had a blast but did more of a hang-two rather than ten.

Next up, Dylan!

Eager and ready to go, his heat was delayed as the sky opened up to some downpours where the surfers had to take refuge under the pier to wait it out. After displaying some rockstar-level patience, it was finally his turn, and he wasted no time showing off his year two veteran status as he laid down on the board, shredding the waves as they came in 😉 Cowabunga Dylan!

Addie, you and Dylan had a blast. For all of us on the sidelines, there was nothing more beautiful than to witness two worlds collide between our autism community and surfers enjoying the love of the ocean together.

The ocean was something I feared for so long until you came along and showed me how wildly inclusive it is. Thank you, baby girl, and cheers, to more Dylan and Addie Surfing adventures to come!

Great Job!

Love,

Mom