What is Alive Day?
A celebration of service, survival, camaraderie, and healing as veterans gather to honor the day they were wounded AND survived. At Aqua Surf, we believe in the power of surfing to bring joy. This was put into action during the 3rd Annual World Veterans Alive Day at Dockweiler Beach, where Aqua Surf had the privilege of providing free surf lessons to wounded veterans and their families with local non-profit Wounded Heroes of America.
Together with organizer Chris Kelly from event sponsor Dive N Surf, Aqua Surf was stoked to join a dedicated team of volunteers and play a part in bringing joy, healing, and hope to these extraordinary individuals.
Surfing as Therapy: Providing Joy & Camaraderie
One of the most powerful aspects of this event was the opportunity for veterans to reconnect with each other and experience the healing power of the ocean. As Greg Bennett, an Aqua Surf instructor, shared, taking them in the ocean is “giving them joy, and that means the world.” The act of surfing and being in the the ocean, while physical, can be healing, therapeutic and even spiritual for everyone from the most experienced surfers to first-timers. It’s a beautiful thing.
The waves at Dockweiler Beach were the perfect setting for this day of healing, and volunteers and instructors were ready to guide veterans and their families into the water with patience, support, and encouragement. Whether they surfed, swam, boogie boarded, or just enjoyed the sunshine on the sand the positive energy of a perfect beach day shared with friends was palpable.
Growing! Third Annual Alive Day Event Becoming Tradition
In its third year, Alive Day is growing and making waves through the community. Working closely with WHOA President Mike Talleda, Chris Kelly (manager of event Sponsor Dive N Surf) plays a major role in the planning, sponsoring, and making the event a reality. His leadership and dedication helped create an atmosphere of support and camaraderie for veterans and their families. For Dylan Sohngen, Executive Director of Aqua Surf School, it was a no-brainer to assemble a team of instructors for the event when Chris called. Aqua Surf provided surf lessons to the veterans, with a focus on inclusivity and making the experience accessible for everyone, from first-time surfers, disabled legends to experienced riders.
Veterans from across the South West made the journey to Dockweiler Beach to participate, including attendees from Arizona, Central California and out of state Navajo Reservations. Some drove for more than 10 hours overnight to take part in the event, underscoring the significance of this day for them and their families. For the Aqua Surf and Dive N Surf teams, it was an honor to be able to share surfing and give back to the families of those who have given so much.
“A lot of the Veterans celebrate Alive Day because of the day that they were wounded, because it’s also the day they survived. ”
– Mike Talleda (President of Wounded Heroes of America)
The Kids Get Involved: First-Time Surfers Among the veterans were also their children, some of whom were experiencing surfing for the first time. One such child was taught by Greg Bennett, who shared the joy of introducing a new generation to the waves. Greg described it as an especially meaningful moment, “Teaching kids to surf and seeing their faces light up when they catch their first wave is something I’ll never forget.” The experience of enjoying the ocean and community, especially as a family, helped forge deeper connections among all involved, turning this event into a celebration of both the past and the future.
A Holistic Experience: Additional Support for Veterans Beyond surfing, the event featured other forms of support and healing. Deyren Santamaria’s live violin performance added a beautiful, soothing atmosphere to the day, helping to create a sense of calm and reflection. Meanwhile, Mindy provided much-needed massages to the veterans, offering a space for relaxation and decompression. Together, these elements helped make the event a well-rounded experience, focusing not just on physical activity, but also on emotional and mental well-being.
It’s clear that, in many ways, the ocean offers more than just waves—it provides a space for recovery, connection, and hope. We are grateful to everyone who made this day possible and look forward to future opportunities to give back to those who have given so much.
On the Creation & Growth of a Great Event:
”About 6 years ago I met Mike Talleda, the founder of Wounded Heroes of America. An instant friendship was built, Mike is not only a great guy, but he does amazing work with our Military Veterans. Dive N’ Surf and I both heavily support our troops, ALL the men and women who have served are heroes in our eyes. After attending a few events that Mike puts on for the wounded veterans I was hooked and wanted to TEAM up with him for an event for our vets. It started as a beach day for the vets and their families, Dive N’ Surf would supply the activities and instruction, and Mike would bring the families, friends, and veterans to come enjoy. We had surfing instruction, Stand-Up paddleboarding, snorkeling, beach games, and beach safety patrol for all to enjoy. After year one Mike and I decided to bring more meaning to the event and the birth of “Alive Day” happened. This is a day where soldiers can reminisce about the day they had survived, not all get that opportunity so the importance of Alive Day for these wounded veterans is a huge one. We have now done this annually for 3 years and we are determined to continue this event for many years to come. This year we teamed up with AquaSurf and what a blessing their staff and equipment was! We were able to get more people in the water and on surfboards than ever before, they are now a staple for our event, and we are very proud to have them. Our goal is to continually grow this event and eventually have a way to get donors to be able to participate and donate to the organization WHOA. Stay tuned for the next one in August 2025 and support our veterans. It’s a TEAM effort everyday and we cannot do it without each other!!
Chris KellyDive N’ Surf Manager, Organizer & Co-Creator of Alive Day
How You Can Get Involved: If you would like to get involved, donate or learn more about how you can make a difference, we encourage you to visit Wounded Heroes of America. This organization works tirelessly to provide support and resources to wounded veterans, and by getting involved, you can help make future events like this one possible.
If you’re interested in volunteering and teaching surfing as a way of giving back to the community, email our team at info@aquasurf.com. We are always growing our team of dedicated and passionate instructors.