Injured Warriors Hang Ten with Wounded Warrior Project

Veterans and Families Reach Goals, Find Comfort by Surfing

CAROLINA BEACH, N.C., Sept. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- John Goubeaux sat on his board – one leg extended out as the white-foamed surf rushed around him, propelling him toward the shore. He raised his arms in triumph, satisfied at achieving something he never imagined.

John Goubeaux surfs at a recent Wounded Warrior Project event in North Carolina.

"You guys made the impossible, possible," John said about the Surf Camp hosted by Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) and Ocean Cure, a nonprofit organization that uses the ocean for healing children and adults.

"This provides another positive memory to use when my migraines and pain start," John, an Air Force veteran, added. John suffered a serious head injury while falling from a military aircraft five years ago. He credits WWP for connecting him with other warriors and providing opportunities to manage his injuries without painkillers.

WWP took John and other wounded veterans and their families to Carolina Beach recently to experience the ocean. The camaraderie they share at events like this creates new support structures for warriors.

"Meeting fellow wounded warriors and their families helped make the surf event a great experience," said Navy veteran George Potts.

"I loved interacting with other veterans and hearing about their involvement with Wounded Warrior Project," said Marine Corps Reserve veteran Steven Gagnon. "My favorite highlight was watching a veteran named John surf for the first time. The look on his face was priceless."

That would be John Goubeaux, who explained to Steven the strategy of keeping positive memories in your tool box for tough days. WWP program events provide opportunities to cut through the isolation many wounded veterans feel when they transition to civilian life.

WWP programs support both immediate and long-term recovery and are personalized to enable warriors, caregivers, and family members to reach educational and employment goals, and recover physically, mentally, and emotionally.

"Wounded Warrior Project is an eye-opener that you are not alone," Steven said. "Just because you are disabled, you don't have to be confined your house."

About Wounded Warrior Project
The mission of Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. WWP's purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public's aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.