LA JOLLA (NEWS 8) - Kids with physical disabilities took the rides of their lives Friday morning at La Jolla Shores.
Thanks to an adaptive surfing clinic hosted by the Challenged Athletes and Junior Seau Foundations, kids from all over the world with physical disabilities that challenge their mobility and activity levels hopped on surfboards and ripped curl on famed SoCal waves.
Elias Brown is almost 13 years old. He travels all the way to San Diego from Austin year after year just to take part in the adaptive surf clinic.
"It's really fun to have people that are going through the same things you are and being able to relate to them and ask questions that you may not know the answer to, and them exchanging questions with you," Brown said. "You can relate to them very well."
More than 25 challenged athletes volunteer their time to help more than 80 kids tackle waves and do what some thought was impossible, helping them overcome fear and other mental obstacles in the process.
Kids of all ages from all corners of the world come here to tackle waves. Volunteers say it's so rewarding to see the children grow, not just year after year, but wave by wave.
Volunteer Mike Coots said programs like this just didn't exist when he was a teen.
"It's one of those moments where you feel like there's no other place, there's no other time than being right here right now with these kids," Coots said. "You can feel the vibe. It's this visceral feeling that you get with the kids."
Friday morning's surf clinic is just one of many events throughout the weekend, leading up to a triathlon challenge Sunday.