Operation Surf in Santa Cruz is changing lives, one wave at a time [Video]

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The ocean is a beautiful and powerful force of nature. For non-profit organization, Operation Surf, it is also a form of healing.

“The ocean is this natural creator of forgetting about what’s on shore,” Operation Surf Founder and Director Van Curaza shares.

Operation Surf takes active military and veterans surfing at no cost as a means of promoting wellness through nature-based therapy.

“It’s more than surfing. The ocean is a very a positive, happy place, teaching you how you can adjust back to life in a peaceful environment,” volunteer Josh Ryan explains.

“You have to be present, completely mindful,” volunteer Benjamin Albracht reveals, “I’m here. I’m not back in the Middle East. I’m not in the past. I’m in the present.”

The weeklong program has a profound impact on the lives of the participants giving them a renewed sense of possibility and confidence.

“Previous to me coming into this program, …