ERICA A. HERNANDEZ
Daniela Ostertag witnessed a rare sight on Friday. She watched her husband, retired veteran David Ostertag, ride a glorious wave onto the shores of Frank Butler Beach. She looked on as he caught a wave and surfed like a pro.
?To see the smile on his face, he?s in heaven,? Daniela said as she cheered David on.
David was one of four wounded veterans who participated in the Association of Amputee Surfers surfing clinic on Friday and Saturday. This was AmpSurf?s first stop in Florida.
David, 51, served in the military for 27 years in a variety of roles. From the frontlines of Baghdad to a combat engineer, Ostertag witnessed a lot during his time. He now suffers from multiple traumatic brain injuries, latent cognitive memory problems, post-traumatic stress disorder and torn ligaments in his knees and shoulders among other places.
?It?s kind of hard to get up and get out sometimes. I was hesitant about coming out here today. My balance isn?t what it used to be but I love the water so I had give it a shot,? he said.
David and his peers were treated to surfing lessons from the professionals.
AmpSurf founder, Dana Cummings, led the group with dry-land instruction before he walked them into the waves.
Cummings has a story of his own as well. He didn?t let a car accident in 2002 stop him from learning how to surf, despite losing his left leg.
?I thought if a little farm boy from Maine with one leg can do this we can teach a lot more people how to,? Cummings said.
Cummings was one of the many AmpSurf members who made the long journey from Pismo Beach, Calif.
?The instructors work with people with not just physical but even mental disabilities. I was really excited for my husband to have the opportunity to get out there and learn with someone who can watch over him and encourage him,? Daniela said.
The AmpSurf organization was founded in 2003 and has since taught more than 1,000 people how to surf, according to Cummings.
?Surfing is one of those sports that the average person on the street thinks they can?t do. By taking these folks out there with different disabilities, they really think they can?t do something like this, so when we show them that they can it gives them a new lease on life,? Cummings said.
A renewed lease on life was just what David was looking for. After being medically retired from the military in February, he and his wife decided to move to Florida.
?This is what he?s wanted to do: just decompress and absorb everything. So this is the perfect opportunity,? Daniela said.
David plans to continue surfing now that he has a taste for the sport.
As she watched her husband jump to a stance on a surfboard on Friday, Daniela listed a handful of doctors that David sees on a regular basis.
When asked what kind of therapy he needs, Daniela paused and smiled.
?This is his therapy,? she said.
Source: http://staugustine.com/sports/2012-07-21/ampsurf-offers-locals-new-lease-life
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