York Beach, Maine-Surfers surf the beaches of York Beach every day, but it is not common for a group of people with different special needs to wear diving suits, use adaptive equipment and catch the waves.

Parents, caregivers, friends and bystanders gleefully watched people of all ages beaming on Thursday, August 12, while the surf instructor showed them the ropes in the salt water. About a dozen people participated in this volunteer-run event. They were able to lie down, sit down, stand up, and fall just like everyone else. 

Tara Nau, the founder and event host of the Equip for Living Foundation, said that through a close relationship with her younger brother Aaron, she was inspired to start providing adaptive motor cerebral palsy, early-onset dementia and the use of electric wheelchairs.

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Adaptive sports are competitive or recreational sports suitable for people with disabilities and allow necessary modifications to participate.

"Keeping him active is my challenge and passion; however, it can be very expensive," she said. "I realized that many people with special needs are not as active as they would like to be due to the high cost of equipment required for activities such as horse riding, skiing, biking, sailing and surfing."

Check-in procedures started at 4:30 in the afternoon. After 45 minutes of preparation, people began to vomit coabunga gestures and ride the wind and waves.

In July 2017, Kyle Szczepanik, a 48-year-old participant in Rochester, New Hampshire, was involved in a car accident and found Equip for Living through a recent news article.

Before the accident, Szczepanik was very active and healthy. She volunteered at the local church and went hiking, swimming and kayaking. Now, even filling out the exemption form at the time of check-in is very laborious. 

The accident occurred in Barrington, New Hampshire, when Szczepanik drove into a busy intersection. She said that although she had looked around before driving and was very clear, there was a blind spot at the intersection and she was hit by a large truck.

In the last few years after the accident, Szczepanik and her husband Ed drove a separate car in front of her before the accident and witnessed the accident. This was full of appointments from numerous doctors, some operations and Many unresolved issues. 

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Although Szczepanik can still walk, she often has cramps. In this case, muscle stiffness may interfere with movement or speech, or be related to discomfort or pain, and is usually due to the brain or spinal cord. In addition, Szczepanik has experienced diplopia and body temperature fluctuations and is currently undergoing formal dyskinesia diagnostic evaluation. 

"I have good days and bad days," she said. "This is still a daily challenge."

Szczepanik said that the adaptive surfboard allows her to sit upright and makes her feel something she has rarely experienced in years since the accident: freedom.

Szczepanik is currently undergoing treatment to help her restore more functions, but it is still an uphill battle, she said. Close to the sea, she said that this is a place to talk to her, one of the few things that brings comfort.

"Through this process, I got some blessings," Szczepanik said. "After I heard about this opportunity, I suddenly became clear...I have wanted to surf for so many years."

Szczepanik used to surf once as a child and remembered the wonderful feeling, which is why when she found Equip for Living, she seized the opportunity to participate. She participated in the same event on July 29, and said that a sense of freedom washed over her with the waves.

In the future, Szczepanik said she would like to participate in other adaptive activities, such as windsurfing or boat rope courses, through a non-profit organization. After the accident, it took Szczepanik two years to learn to swim, and she is still determined to try more activities.

Szczepanik said: "I am very determined to be able to enjoy entertainment and exercise, so that my body will not start to shrink," Szczepanik said.

He said that Bennett Parsell, 12, in Rochester, has surfed a lot in his short life, mainly through other adaptive activities with other organizations. Parsell does not need adaptive equipment, but autism and attention deficit disorder make patient coaching more important to his learning ability. He also has a physical disability and is born with abnormal hands, which means he has two fingers on his right hand.

Parsell said his goal was to stand up on the surfboard that day, and he did it. In addition to surfing, Parsell also likes basketball, karate and archery.

Lisa Wentzel of Kennebunk recorded her 20-year-old son Scotty as he glided to the coast on a skateboard. Scotty has been surfing since 2010. She said that she was unable to speak due to a rare syndrome that caused developmental delay. 

"It was amazing that he caught the waves for the first time... he was just shining," Wenzel said.

Nau said the goal of the foundation is to raise funds by funding adaptive equipment, treatments and activities not covered by insurance, and to provide scholarships for adults with special needs, with a focus on keeping people active in their lifestyles.

The Life Equipment Foundation has participated in projects ranging from ice fishing to water skiing to surfing now.

The Liquid Dreams Surf Shop, which has stores in York and Ogunquit, provides instructors, wetsuits and surfboards. The York Beach Ocean Rescue Team is also there to help lift the surfboards and ensure safety.

For more information about the event, please contact Tara Nau at equipforliving@gmail.com.