“Growing up, the doctors told us that Jacob was essentially born with half a heart. For him to surf with Ricochet and Jacob K is kind of like having a whole heart for the first time”.  
Jacob J’s sister, Hailey.

SURF DOG RICOCHET RIDES “WAVES OF THE HEART” WITH TWO CRITICALLY ILL TEEN BOYS WHO NEED LIFE SAVING HEART TRANSPLANTS BOTH HAVE THE SAME NAME, SAME AGE, SAME HEART CONDITION & MET FOR THE 1st TIME WHEN RICOCHET BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER! Click here to watch the video!

On October 10th, Ricochet rode “waves of the heart” with two critically ill teenage boys who also met for the first time. All three of them rode the board together to signify one perfect heart. This was the first time Ricochet had surfed with two people who have life threatening illnesses at one time, but they were successful on their very first wave!

Both boys are named Jacob. They are both 19 years old, born 25 days apart. They both have Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. They are both critically ill and need life saving heart transplants. Jacob Kilby lives in San Diego, and Jacob Jumper lives in Houston. The two families contacted Ricochet for assistance within 24 hours of each other. The similarities don't stop there. Ricochet has been involved with many fate guided encounters, but this is the most serendipitous of them all. to read  more about the parallels of these cosmic cousins, go to: http://www.surfdogricochet.com/waves-of-the-heart.html.

Ricochet created a “Waves of the Heart” campaign to help raise awareness of the boy’s life threatening situations and need for organ donors. With the help of  Audie Marks, Head of MADE’s Team Oliver and Hotel Indigo Del Mar Ricochet made it possible to bring the two Jacob’s together for the same surf session. The magical day started with the Jacob's greeting each other with a big hug and handshake. Ricochet quickly nuzzled her way in, and the three bonded instantly.  It was if the universe was sensitive to the fragility of this surf session because the waves were flat lining, making it difficult to catch one. After about 10 minutes in the line up, they were pushed into a wave, and both boys popped up, using Ricochet's lifejacket to hold onto. Huge smiles came across their faces, as cheers from family members and friends echoed on the beach. Once out of the water, Ricochet gave high fives to the boys who were beaming with delight. "What an experience. I can't believe I was invited out here to surf with them" said Jacob J. "This moment is the top for me! It's cool to see how we both can surf right now because we don't know what the future holds for us", Jacob K said.

The problem for both boys is… there is an overwhelming shortage of donors. Each day, 18 people in the United States die while waiting for organ transplants. Every 13 minutes, another person's name is added to the list of thousands who have been waiting for life-saving organ transplants. Right now, more than 120,000 patients are waiting for a transplant in the United States. Jacob Kilby underwent four open-heart surgeries between his birth in 1995 and his second birthday to try and correct the problem. But, the attempts failed, and he was given 24 hours to live.

Miraculously, he received a life-saving heart transplant at the last minute. Recovery had it's challenges, but Jacob was able to live a healthy, active life. But now, sixteen years later, his sense of adventure belies a devastating reality: he is facing an uncertain future of deteriorating health because he needs another heart transplant. He is currently on the lowest level of the donor waiting list.  Even though there are a lot of similarities with the Jacob's, there is one big difference. Jacob Jumper did not receive a heart transplant as a child. He grew up with an abundance of health issues, and was never able to do normal things like run around or play sports. He stopped growing at about the age of 10 and often uses a wheelchair. He will need a heart transplant too, but is not currently on the donor waiting list.   Surf Dog Ricochet hopes you will help raise awareness by sharing this story. She urges everyone to get on board and join her “waves of the heart” campaign to help lower the desperate statistics. Please give the gift of life by signing up to be an organ donor. Additional info and how to register can be found at http://www.surfdogricochet.com/waves-of-the-heart.html For more information, contact Judy Fridono at pawinspired@aol.com or 707-228-0679

Surf Dog Ricochet 306-N West El Norte, #20, Escondido, CA, 92026