WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Access Wilmington has been bringing opportunities for people with disabilities to enjoy adventure for years now and held a special surf event Tuesday morning.
More than a dozen participants caught waves in Carolina Beach, many for the very first time.
It was an event that meant a little more to college student Chasity McCulloch.
“I was scuba diving and I came up too fast, and that’s how I got injured, so this is probably the first time I’ve been back in the ocean since then,” said McCulloch.
Its been five years since her accident, and the event held by access Wilmington helped her swap her wheelchair for a surfboard, and get her feet wet again.
“It’s nice, it’s nice to get back out there and know that everything’s all right,” said McCulloch. ”I really love the water and so being able to go back out there’s been great.”
Stories like McCullogh’s are why Ocean Cure’s founder Kevin Murphy says they’ve been offering these kinds of events for more than a decade now.
“Just to truly enjoy the spirit of the ocean and show people that they can get out there and they can keep doing it,” said Murphy.
Braving the ocean takes courage, and McCulloch carries a unique reminder each day that she’s got the power to overcome challenges. A tattoo of a mountain on the inside of her arm has the Japanese kanji for “Conquer.”
“Just conquer what you can,” shrugged McCulloch. “Even though it doesn’t seem possible there are ways to do the things that you used to and just get back out there and enjoy life. And ACCESS and these guys, they’re just really great at getting everybody included.”
Using the power of the sea to help these participants conquer new challenges.
An incredible day on the water was had, thank you Ocean Cure for making our participants dreams come true!
Posted by Access of Wilmington on Tuesday, June 15, 2021
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