by Heidi Trilling

Danny Cortazzo oversees an activity featuring “Spiderman” at Ride a Wave beach camp in Santa Cruz. Photo courtesy of Debra Z. Dixon, www.seadebris.com

What’s your definition of a hero? A person of distinguished ability, noble qualities and visionary ideals?

Meet Danny Cortazzo.

Firefighter, paramedic, lifeguard, former champion tandem surfer and the   recipient of numerous awards for his outstanding community service, Cortazzo is the founder of the Ride a Wave Foundation, a non-profit based in Santa Cruz.

Since 1998, Ride a Wave has provided children with special needs the chance to experience a day at the beach.

Ride a Wave offers one-day camps from April to September at Cowell’s Beach in Santa Cruz and at beaches in Southern California. Activities include tandem surfing, bodyboarding, swimming and kayaking. Warm-ups with “Spiderman” and beach games are included. Children also watch demonstrations on lifesaving techniques and learn about marine biology. Snacks and hot lunches are donated by the likes of Newman’s Own Organics and Trader Joe’s.

At day’s end is an awards ceremony, where each child receives a Ride a Wave t-shirt and prizes for accomplishment.

Thus far, nearly 3,000 children facing physical challenges such as quadriplegia, cerebral palsy, blindness, autism, burns and cancer have been served — and delighted and inspired — by Ride a Wave. Children from low-income or at-risk home environments are also welcomed to the program.

Danny Cortazzo, tandem surfing with a Ride a Wave camper. Photo courtesy of Debra Z. Dixon, www.seadebris.com.

“We’re 100 percent volunteer-run,” Cortazzo says. “No one gets a stipend  or salary; no child has to pay to participate. We’re here simply to give these kids — some who’ve never seen the ocean before — a fun day on the waves.”

One of the reasons for the program’s success is its careful attention to everyone’s well-being. In its 12 years of existence, Ride a Wave has had no beach injuries whatsoever.

“Safety is — absolutely — our No. 1 concern,” Cortazzo says.

And he means it.

Lifeguards, paramedics and EMTs  are at every event, with radio contact to emergency facilities. Every child is outfitted with a wetsuit, life vest and helmet, and is accompanied in the water by trained sportspeople and rescue personnel. Children with even the most limited physical mobility get to surf with specially-designed equipment.

“Yes, safety is No. 1,” Cortazzo continues. “Our No. 2 concern is joy — and that comes from everyone involved in the program: participants and volunteers. … As I’ve said many times: I can describe the program, but actually seeing the kids’ faces and their parents’ faces says it all.”

The faces of the volunteers say it all, too.

Ride a Wave participant and volunteers share a moment of triumph. Photo courtesy of Debra Z. Dixon, www.seadebris.com.

“Our volunteers are outstanding!” Cortazzo says. “We have professional athletes, doctors, students, marine biologists, grade school children, seniors — all wanting to help out, in the water or on the beach. Everyone is dedicated to making the program work. Our sponsors and donors are just awesome, too! Everything is donated, from wetsuits and equipment to food and emergency medical supplies. Their generosity is so humbling, really — a great gift to our program.”

It’s a gift to the community, too. Accordingly, Ride a Wave has earned glowing media attention and has been wonderfully supported by a host of private donors and corporate sponsorships.

So, how did Ride a Wave begin?

A dedicated waterman, Cortazzo was one of two Americans from the national lifeguard team selected to work in Australia. While cycling to work one day in 1990, he was struck by a car in a horrific accident that left him with several broken bones and a serious back injury.

“That accident put everything into perspective,” Cortazzo says. “I was unable to get into the water for two or three months … wasn’t sure if I’d emerge with all my motor skills intact. The force and power of my helplessness in that situation … somehow made me cognizant of how many people never get the chance to experience the ocean.”

Cortazzo continues: “I grew up surfing or swimming every day, or just walking on the beach. … It’s a beautiful thing to be out on the water. You start enjoying the smaller details: watching the birds, feeling the way the water moves. … I wanted to share all of this with people who didn’t have the opportunities I had.”

A day at the beach with Ride a Wave includes activities, snacks, hot lunches, and first class attention to safety issues and rescue procedures. Photo courtesy of Debra Z. Dixon, www.seadebris.com

And so, Ride a Wave was born. It has inspired similar programs such as the Best Day Foundation, created by two long-time Ride a Wave volunteers. Best Day invites children to enjoy the snow, as well as the waves.