More than 100 volunteers joined 20 injured surfers on the Long Branch oceanfront Sunday to celebrate a day of surf and fun for those suffering from spinal cord injuries.
SCOTT FRIEDMAN Volunteers wait for the right wave to launch Ronald Moore, of Providence, at the “They Will Surf Again” event in Long Branch on June 22. The event was sponsored by the Life Rolls On Foundation, which helps injured surfers get back in the water and surf again. Many of the surfers had not been in the water for more than 10 years and dreamed of the day they would be back in the ocean, according to Joe Levy, coordinator of the event.
The Life Rolls On Foundation hosted “They Will Surf Again” (TWSA) for six hours on June 22 at Pier Village.
“It was a blessing,” Levy said. “The waves, the weather and all those involved. It was just an amazing day.”
He added that the day was filled with courage, humility, laughter and smiles.
TWSA connects dozens of surfers who range from basic immobility to full-on quadriplegic, with volunteers and experienced watermen and lifeguards for a day of “excitement, joy and surf.”
Top right: Ronald Moore, of Providence, is helped from the surf at the “They Will Surf Again” event in Long Branch on June 22. The event was sponsored by the Life Rolls On Foundation, which helps injured surfers to get in the water and surf again. Above: Volunteer Lance Hopkins gives direction to Moore. Right: Lauren Blann wipes out but is aided quickly by her spotters. Volunteers and participants, from local areas, as well as Philadelphia and upstate New York, gathered for the surfing event in Long Branch.
The Long Branch beach and lifeguard crews also helped with transport of equipment and volunteers, according to Levy.
“It was a team effort every step of the way,” Levy said.
The participants at the event were guided by teams out to the breaks and pushed into the waves. They then belly surfed their way across the face of the waves, some catching 40-yard rides all the way into shore, according to Levy.
“Many times I’ve sat on a boardwalk or in a beach chair staring out at the ocean dreaming about getting back in the water and today it happened,” said Ronnie Moore, surfer and participant at the event.
PHOTOS BY SCOTT FRIEDMAN A volunteer at the event, Noel Fitzpatrick, of the Ocean Grove Surf Shop, added, “Everyone was amazing and completely courageous. All the participants are heroes.”
The TWSA program is an inspiration to everyone involved, including onlookers and passers-by, Levy said.
Life Rolls On started after Jesse Billauer, a semi-pro surfer, was paralyzed while surfing. Although many TWSA events have been held mostly in California, this was the first Northeast event for the Life Rolls On Foundation.
Sponsors at the Long Branch event included Billabong Surf Camps, Coastline Adventures School, Summertime Surf, Dosil’s Sporting and Surf, Vitacoco, Sambazon, MTV and many others. For more information, visit www.liferollson. org.
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