AmpSurf Brings the Stoke to Wounded Veterans

By Katie McFadden

On Friday, July 11 and Saturday, July 12, many of our visiting warriors opted for some time on the water to hang ten and heal. As part of Rockaway Warriors Weekend, AmpSurf led surf clinics in Breezy Point.

The Association of Amputee Surfers (AmpSurf) has been leading learn to surf clinics for veterans, first responders and amputees since 2003 across the country. Part of that mission has been holding programs during Rockaway Warriors Weekend to give veterans, whether wounded physically or with internal mental scars, a chance to take their mind off of it and surf the waves. On Friday and Saturday, dozens of local volunteers from certified surf instructors to first responders to everyday neighbors who just wanted to lend a hand, helped make that experience possible on Beach 219th Street in Breezy Point.

AmpSurf Founder, Dana Cummings, came all the way from California to help with the program in Breezy Point last weekend. Cummings served six years with the U.S. Marine Corps, but it was a car accident on a freeway back home that landed him in the hospital, and ultimately, losing his right leg from the knee down in 2002. But it wasn’t a setback for him. Cummings was determined to do more.

“I lost my leg in 2002 and surfing was the only thing I ever tried that I failed at and when they asked me what I wanted to do, that was the first thing that popped in my head. I wanted to surf. I got out of the hospital after four months and I had connected with a local guy in the hospital that led a one-legged surfing program. I went out that first day and rode a couple waves laying down and by the second day, I stood up. It was probably only for a couple seconds but it felt like an eternity. It was such an exhilarating high. You don’t think you can do it, and then suddenly you’re doing it,” Cummings told The Rockaway Times.

From there on, he wanted to share that same stoke with others in similar situations. “We did our first event in October 2003, and it’s grown since then. Now we have five chapters around the country—New York, New England, the Pacific Northwest, California and Puerto Rico,” Cummings said, “Surfing is one of those sports most people don’t think they can do, especially when you’re missing a limb or in a wheelchair. But anyone can do this and it’s lifechanging for them and it’s been the greatest thing in my life. That accident was meant to be. I never would’ve done this if that hadn’t happened.”

As a veteran, Cummings finds the Rockaway Warrior Weekend to be especially meaningful and has been coming out for about 17 years to help run the surf lessons. “This is just one of the best events. I’ve lived a life of service and to be able to share the stoke with these men and women, I don’t know where they’re at in their journey and what they’re dealing with. Physical wounds are easy to see, but what’s going on inside is tougher, so to come here and introduce them to something like this, I think, is huge. With surfing, you don’t think about all the crap on land. You gotta focus, so you’re so much more in the moment versus other activities. You can get out of your own head and focus.”

Cummings, who walks with a prosthetic leg, was in the water, along with the many volunteers, to make sure the veterans and their family members got to experience standing up on the board. One of those was Cliff Burgos, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran from Brooklyn, who, experiencing Rockaway Warrior Weekend for the first time, also got to try surfing for the first time, and by the last few waves, was standing tall. “This surfing thing was amazing. I never surfed in my life,” Burgos shared with a smile.

Jason Wheeler, a U.S. Army Specialist and double amputee, who had spent some time living in Rockaway and trained with Chris Romulo at CROM, was back in town from Texas for the Rockaway Warrior Weekend for about the seventh year. Wheeler, part of the Airborne Infantry, was severely injured during a training exercise in 2002, when a parachute failed after he jumped from a helicopter, leaving him with a traumatic brain injury and unable to use his legs as normal. He didn’t have both legs amputated at the knee until 2015, after infections had left him with near-fatal complications.

However, despite enjoying the weekend for his own sake, Wheeler was most excited to share the stoke with his son, Nicholas, who suffers from Angelman Syndrome, leaving him also in a wheelchair. “Our son, Nicholas, can’t walk or talk. We talked to Dana, and I just want to try to get him on a surfboard. If I can get him on a surfboard, I’ll be the happiest guy. I’m trying to give this kid the best life,” Wheeler said. On Saturday, Jason, his wife Kristi, and Nicholas, all got on surfboards.

“It fills me with so much joy to share this,” Cummings said.

For more information about AmpSurf and their programs, check out: www.ampsurf.org