Surfing for a good cause was underway Thursday morning in Neptune Beach as Wounded Warriors took the morning to teach veterans wounded physically and mentally during their service how to surf.
For many of the veterans who hit the water, the event serves as a chance to escape the everyday mental health struggles that followed them home.
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“Coming back from Afghanistan I was battling with tons of depression,” Navy veteran Leslie Delaserna told Action News Jax at the event.
“I go through bouts of isolation and depression, my anxiety will go through bouts with that too where it gets real high,” Air Force vet Michelle Therrien said.
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For some vets like Therrien, who needed both knees replaced after more than a decade serving in the Air Force, the event and others like it serve as a way to stay active through the physical injuries suffered in the armed forces.
“My right knee is five months old so I’m just starting to get back out and do things I like to do. And it’s not super high impact,” Therrien said.
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For plenty of the vets hitting the water Thursday, the event not only helped them through their everyday mental or physical struggles, but served as a way to let them know they aren’t alone in their journeys.
“I think that’s the hardest thing, is to be able to communicate with people that don’t understand your issues and what you’re going through,” Delaserna said. “So with their programs you meet other veterans and it helps that we understand each other and what we’ve been through.”
Those interested in getting involved in future events like the Wounded Warriors Project has to offer can find more info by clicking here.
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