Veterans’ Children Experience Compassion & Understanding While Surfing
CAROLINA BEACH, N.C. (Aug. 15th, 2018) – Eight warriors and their families enjoyed a weekend of sun and surf during a Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) outing with surf instructors from Ocean Cure – a nonprofit that provides adaptive surf camps for individuals and families. The weekend outing provided an environment where warriors and their children could bond with other military families while paddle boarding, kayaking, fish netting, and surfing.
Army veteran Chanel Diaz-Woodall and her two children joined the group, but it was the time spent with her 7-year-old son that was particularly special to her.
“It was so important for my children to interact with other children of military families and to see that we are all doing our best to heal together,” Chanel said. “Events like these allow them to see that there are other families with injured mommies and daddies, and that it is ok to ask questions and to learn and understand what it means to be a part of a military family.”
Army veteran Michael Nagunst shared a similar sentiment about his 12-year-old son, who has always dreamed of surfing and experiencing other watersport activities.
“This is a great opportunity for us to have quality time together doing something exciting and unique,” Michael said. “My PTSD affects him as well, and spending time with other families in similar situations had a very positive impact on him. Surfing is not something we are able to do normally, so having opportunities like this through Wounded Warrior Project is very special to us.”
When thinking about our nation’s veterans, often overlooked are the sacrifices made by their families. This is especially true of children who may be too young to understand the complexities of an injury or how that injury – visible or invisible – may affect the family dynamic.
Both Chanel and Michael shared that their children walked away from the WWP event with an amazing experience, a deeper understanding of their individual situations, and an enriched compassion for others.
WWP has been connecting, serving, and empowering wounded warriors for 15 years. To learn more, visit http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org.
Contact: Perry Athanason – Public Relations, pathanason@woundedwarriorproject.org, 904.654.2193
About Wounded Warrior Project
Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers – helping them achieve their highest ambition. Learn more: http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/about-us.