Patrick Swayze delivers an iconic line from the 1990’s cult classic Point Break referring to his relentless search to catch the perfect wave. It’s a sentiment shared by many who are passionate about what they do. 

It’s especially relevant to the over 1 million active service military personnel in the US and nearly 18 million Veterans alive today. They enlisted to serve a cause greater than themselves and because of their passion to protect the freedoms we take for granted. And while many survived, others paid that ultimate price.

But this story isn’t about those who didn’t make it. It’s about resilience and a passion that turned a love of a sport into a channel that would save hundreds of lives.

Alex West was a Navy Seal for 17 years with 15 deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan under his belt. Growing up with an affinity for water, the opportunity to become an adaptive surf instructor for the naval hospital in San Diego was one he couldn’t pass up. He quickly learned just how therapeutic and life-changing surfing could be for his injured military colleagues. Getting up on a wave, moving up in skill level, and pushing the boundaries of what Veterans thought possible was providing purpose to the lives of so many who had lost their way.

But there was just one problem. 

Alex was working increasingly with disabled Veterans with challenges – amputations, paralyzations, brain injuries and trauma – who couldn’t get out on the water safely with any out-of-the-box surfboard he had ever seen. With 22 Veterans committing suicide everyday, he was determined to find a way for all Veterans, regardless of physical or emotional limitations, to experience the positive effects of surfing. “Just because some of these guys are missing legs or have serious injuries,” Alex says, “doesn’t mean that they can’t push it.”

Working together with surfboard designers and fellow Veterans, Alex started a nonprofit he called One More Wave with the mission of empowering Veterans to find healing through surf therapy.

Back in 2015, no one else was making surfboards customized to each Veteran’s adaptive needs, body type, and challenges. If you’re an amputee missing an arm, you might need a handle to hold onto the board. You may need to bring the fins closer together. One More Wave not only customizes their boards, but also tailors wetsuits to all their Veterans. And they do it all for free.

Each Veteran plays an active part in customizing the design of their board. In some cases, they work shrapnel taken from wounds sustained during their time in service into the board. How badass is that? Alex has found that there is therapy in providing artwork and personality to one’s board. The process can take anywhere from weeks to years to get it just right. The surfboard truly becomes a part of the Veteran throughout the process.

But perhaps the most magical therapy doesn’t come from a highly crafted, personalized piece of fiberglass. “When we first started One More Wave,” recounts Alex, ”I thought we were providing Veterans with these customized surfboards. What I didn’t realize was the lack of community for a lot of these Veterans.” On any given 3rd Saturday, hundreds of Veterans are meeting up with One More Wave volunteers on the coasts of Florida to California and Hawaii to connect and share their newfound love of surfing.

Photo courtesy of @n_betts

With over 700 Veterans served to date, the community Alex helped create over 9 years ago is now paying off in ways he never imagined.

Former Navy Seal, James Mcfadden, referred to One More Wave’s impact as “getting guys out of hospitals and off meds, and out of that dark place they are in, putting a smile on their face and treating them like the men they are. Having One More Wave putting me back in that realm saved my ass so I’m blessed for that.”

“I’d been searching so long for my place in the world,” Retired US Army Corporal Tommy Counihan recounted, “and it all started with me getting back out on the water. It’s like a switch went off. Instantly, I went from wanting to kill myself to wanting to conquer the f***ing world.”

With impact like that, it’s easy to see why they were an automatic yes when they submitted their application for a grant from Chive Charities. Thanks to our dedicated donors, we’re sending One More Wave a $5,000 grant which will allow them to create 3 custom surfboards for Veterans looking to find their purpose in life after service. When all else fails, we never want a single Veteran to feel desperate and out of options. There’s always one more wave out there to catch and a community willing to welcome them with open arms.

Photo courtesy of @liborisk

Chive Charities was built on the foundation of ripples making waves — the thought that a $5 or $100 donation can spark a movement that becomes so much bigger down the line. In this case, the ripples of your donations have created literal waves for Veterans with nowhere else to turn. We couldn’t do it without you. Please consider helping more Veteran causes by donating to Chive Charities RIGHT HERE.

You can also check out the incredible work One More Wave is doing HERE.