SURF DOG RICOCHET SPENT THE LAST DAY OF THE YEAR SURFING WITH VETERAN WITH PTSD & AUTISTIC DAUGHTER OF MARINE JUST HOME FROM AFGHANISTAN
Surf Dog Ricochet, the SURFice™ Dog celebrated New Year’s Eve with a special ocean therapy tandem surf session for members of our military and people/kids with disabilities. Ricochet is the only dog in the world that surfs as an assistive aid and SURFice dog™ to those with physical, emotional and psychiatric challenges including kids with special needs, adults with disabilities, wounded warriors and veterans with PTSD.
Ricochet surfed with retired Staff Sergeant Randall Dexter who served two tours in Iraq and now suffers with PTSD. “Ricochet has given me a new lease on life. PTSD makes it very difficult to go out, but now that I’ve met Ricochet I get to enjoy the things I used to love. To me she’s a guardian angel”, said Dexter. Ricochet and Dexter have also created the PTSD Battle Buddy Initiative to help other active duty service members and veterans with PTSD. Every 65 minutes a veteran with PTSD dies by suicide. Ricochet and Dexter are committed to changing that alarming statistic through their efforts at http://bit.ly/1e3Roha.
Also on board was Gina, the 9 year old daughter of Bradley Gill, a Marine who just returned home from Afghanistan after 11 months. Gina has autism and when asked what it’s like to surf with Ricochet she said, “She helps me have the courage for popping up and being brave.”
As Gill watched his daughter with Ricochet, he brushed away a tear and said “It’s really special for me today because it’s the first time I’ve actually gotten to see Gina surf with Ricochet and it was amazing. It makes me feel proud and gives her more confidence. This is a child who is afraid to try and ride a bike without training wheels, but has no problem going out in this cold water and hopping on a surfboard with Ricochet”.
Also carving waves with Ricochet at this celebratory session was 7 year old West who has autism and was afraid of the water until he met and surfed with Ricochet and Jacob Benarth who has Ataxia-Telangiectasia.
Ricochet instinctively adjusts her surfing style based on the individual’s disability. You can learn more at http://www.surfdogricochet.com and see more videos and news segments of this special surf session on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SurfDogRicochet. “When you put the healing power of the ocean and the healing power of a dog together, you can’t match it! Judy Fridono, Ricochet’s guardian said.
Happy New Year from Surf Dog Ricochet!
Watch news segments at these links…
Tribute video http://bit.ly/RicochetSurfMilitaryTribute
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