Quadriplegic teen gives Jenna Wolfe a lesson in surfing...and courage
Posted: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 9:06 PM by Jen Brown
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Jenna Wolfe
From Jenna Wolfe, TODAY
I went surfing with Patrick Ivison recently. Actually, he surfed… I just flailed around like a wild chicken barely balancing on a board. Patrick got a rush. I got a gallon of water in my mouth. Patrick wanted to spend the rest of the day in the water. I wanted to get out. So I grabbed my board and walked towards the beach. Patrick couldn’t follow me.
This wide-eyed, zealous 14-yr old is a quadriplegic. Watch video
Shortly after his first birthday, Patrick, who had been walking since he was nine months old, was with his mom, Jennifer, running errands when he wrangled away from her for just a second. In a twisted act of horrible timing, a car backed up and ran over the little boy, instantly crushing his spinal chord. Patrick was paralyzed from the neck down. His life, having just started, would change forever. Jennifer quit her job as a secretary to take care of Patrick, as it would clearly turn into a full time job. She now relies on fundraising to help pay for the intense rehab he undergoes.
Over the years, the two would develop a bond unlike any other. Patrick’s needs are lengthy. Jennifer, along with Patrick’s 12-year old sister (and best friend) Sam, help dress him, cook for him, transport him, bathe him, help him to school, to bed, to the bathroom. They are, for all intents and purposes, his mobility -- his legs, his arms, and up until recently, his hands. But in return, Jennifer gets her son, and his incredible perspective on life. “Why pity myself?” he says. Patrick explained that if he weren’t in a wheelchair, he’d probably just be a “14-year old punk” getting into trouble. Instead he’s out at the beach, counting the waves he's about to surf.
Patrick has grown up in a wheelchair and knows no other way to live. Each new goal of his requires far more willpower and manpower than it would for the rest of us. And he’s done a lot COMPARED to the rest of us -- waterskiing, rugby, soccer, basketball…he’s done it all. So he was determined to find a way to master surfing.
For years, he surfed the waves off the San Diego coast in his mind, envisioning the rush, the pull, the freedom of riding a board through the water. To hear him talk about it is to want to do anything in your power to make it happen. And then six years ago, Patrick finally found a way. He met Jesse Billauer, a well-known surfer who also suffered a spinal chord injury. Billauer had started a program called Life Rolls On, an organization which helps disabled people surf.
Here’s how it works: Patrick uses a special board with Styrofoam wedges taped on to keep him balanced. He lays on his stomach, snug between the wedges. A team of about 15 people help guide him out to the waves where he’s turned around and pitched into shore. It may take a little while to get him into a wet suit and carry him to the water, and guide him out past the surf and in place and ready to go. But once he’s pitched and all hands are off him, Patrick Ivison, for at least a short time, is completely free.
Patrick has made unbelievable progress just this past year through his intense rehab at a facility called Project Walk; he can now maneuver himself in and out of bed, use a fork and knife, and even ride a stationary bike with the help of staffers.
But his physical accomplishments aren’t nearly as impressive as his unconditional optimism. His heart is so big, his smile so contagious, his soul so beautiful, you just want to be around him. That's probably why his high school surf team all skipped school that day to come help Patrick in the water, why a dozen or so other surfers came over to offer their expertise, why the empty beach where we had set up to the do the interview was now buzzing with excitement. Patrick was surfing today and nobody wanted to miss it.
So what’s next for the high school freshman? A simple goal for us, a taxing one for him. He wants to walk across the stage on his own at his high school graduation. And much like his confidence in the tasks before this, he’s certain that he’ll be able to do so.
I spent the better part of two days with Patrick and I realized why so many people are so willing to help and hang around this kid. He may rely on them for their physical strength, but they all rely on him for his heart, and his courage, and his outlook on life.
