Central Coast Remembers Sept 11, 2001

They waxed up their boards, put on their wetsuits and hit the surf at Pismo Beach. to remember those who lost their lives on 9/11.

“We’ve organized what we call a paddle out”, says local surfer Mark Schmitt, “that’s where those of us get together, we paddle out into the water, we join up in a circle and we have a moment of silence in rememberance of the lives lost 13 years ago.”

Its actually a weekly gathering of veterans and retired or current first responders on every Thursday morning many of whom support AmpSurf, or the Association of Amputee Surfers.

“AmpSurf is all about getting people out, getting them active again after they suffered a traumatic injury” says Marine veteran and amputee Dana Cummings who started up AmpSurf to help disabled vets transition back into civilian life.

“Most people who have never surfed before don’t think they can do it”, Cummings says, “you take someone, add to that a missing limb, or they are paralyzed or whatever it may be, then you put them out in the water and they starting riding waves and it just opens that door to them to realize they can do anything.”

At Allan Hancock College in santa maria… they took time out to remember and reflect on a day that changed the course of history.

“I really didn’t think of it much, I was in the third grade”, says AHC Student Body President Daniel Hernandez who helped organize the annual 9/11 rememberance ceremony on campus, “it really does mean something, it really did change history.”

Navy veteran Nick Presher fought back tears sharing the loss of family and friends in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center 13 years ago.

“I think its very important for the younger generation to be here and be encouraged to come out to these events and see what this country is really about”, Presher says.

46:37

a lot of them are vets, some of us aren’t, some of us are affiliated with fire departments, law enforcement, first responders, and so its just an opportunity for comraderie every thursday morning

47:28

it’s a family, it doesn’t matter if you have a law enforcement background, or a military background or a firefighting background, we all have a common purpose and that’s to serve the citizens.

dana cummings/amp-surf founder

51:03

amp-surf is all about getting people out, getting them active again after they suffered a traumatic injury like when i lost my leg, i didn’t know how to surf and so i learned about four months later and this is what gave me my strength back and inspired me to found the organization with some buddies of mine to surf clinics for people with disabilities and mainly disabled veterans coming home from war

every thursday meet up with vets involved in slo county veterans services

53:20

a lot of times its life-changing, i mean a lot of these men and women that suffer these injuries, you know they think their life is over, they lost a limb, they are dealing a traumatic bring injury, and this gives them the ability they can still do anything they want.

53:32

most people who have never surfed before don’t think they can do it, you take someone, add to that a missing limb, or they are paralyzed or whatever it may be, then you put them out in the water and they starting riding waves and it just opens that door to them to realize they can do anything.

nats – nick

navy veteran nick presher choked up telling the students what it was like to lose family and friends in the attacks on the world trade center 13 years ago.

in santa maria keith carls kcoy 12 central coast news.

daniel hernandez/ahc study body president

9:13

its always important to remember what means most to our country

10:03

i really didn’t think of it much, i was in third grade

10:08

i remember my parents watching the news for a whole week, they never watched the news until then

10:14

and i realized how much it affected our country.

10:26

it really does mean something, it really did change history.

nick presher/lost family, friends on 9/11

12:05

i have family in that tower, i have friends in that tower, and what is this going to do.

12:15

kept seeing people jump out of the towers not knowing if

14:14

its as important as us knowing about what happened to our family members, our ancestors during the revolutionary war.

14:59

i think its very important for the younger generation to be here and be encouraged to come out to these events and see what this country is really about.