Family sees benefits to surfing program for autistic children

Aaron Coleman's face lit up when he described his first time surfing.

"It was like I was flying," Coleman said Saturday. "When you come in, you feel like you're free."

Coleman, 9, has Asberger Syndrome, a mild form of autism, and participated in the Surfers Healing program Aug. 14 at Wrightsville Beach.

Surfers Healing was started by Californians Israel and Danielle Paskowitz after their son, Isaiah, was diagnosed with autism.

The free program has grown to other states, including North Carolina, where John Pike runs the Wilmington chapter.

"The only requirement is that the child is on the autism spectrum," said Stacy Coleman, Aaron's mother.

Aaron's little sister Hannah, 6, is moderately autistic and also participated in the surfing camp.

In the camp, experienced surfers take the life-jacketed children out on long boards and ride gentle ocean waves with them back to the beach.

"Aaron loves it. Aaron talks about surfing all the time, but I really think that it had a bigger impact on Hannah," Stacy Coleman said. "There were good waves, but it wasn't anything so big that I was scared to let them go out. It was really a good day at the beach, even with a temper tantrum."

Some autistic children throw fits at times, and Hannah had a few moments on the beach, she said.

"It's great because you're surrounded by people with autistic children," she said.

She said the people were familiar with tantrums in their own families and were compassionate.

"It was sympathy and understanding, rather than contempt and disgust," she said.

Every time a child rode a wave to the beach, no matter whose child it was, all the families clapped with supportive hoots and hollers.

"When they came in on the surfboards, everybody cheered them," Stacy Coleman said.

Being involved in the Surfers Healing program has created an interest in the Coleman family to raise money for the effort.

Stacy Coleman said she believes other autistic children would benefit from the Surfers Healing experience.

With that in mind, a golf tournament is planned for April 18 of next year to raise money for the program. April is Autism Awareness Month.

Meanwhile, the family will simply look forward to next year's Surfers Healing experience.

"It's great. It's a lot of fun," Stacy Coleman said. "We look forward to it all year long."