Tag: Surf Dog Ricochet

Surf dog helps Army Veteran Jose Martinez catch waves

Surf Dog Ricochet helps triple amputee combat veteran catch waves by gifting him a custom made adaptive surfboard. Photo: Surf Dog Ricochet, used with permission.

Surf Dog Ricochet is proud to announce her sponsorship of a custom adaptive surfboard she gifted to Army Veteran Jose Martinez, which was shaped by the non-profit, One More Wave. Ricochet has been sponsoring Jose for several years now thanks to her supporters. She is honored to include a surfboard to the sponsorship. (Surf Dog Ricochet, 2021)

Jose Martinez, a purple heart recipient, became a triple amputee after stepping on an improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan. Jose has been competing in adaptive surfing competitions since 2017. He is a member of Team USA’s Adaptive surfing team, and later this year he will be entering the US Open of Adaptive Surfing in Oceanside, CA and the 2021 Ampsurf ISA World Para Surfing Championship in Pismo Beach, CA. 

“The custom board that One More Wave shaped has made a big difference,” says Jose. “I’m able to paddle better and make better turns. I can’t wait to use it in competition. I can’t thank Ricochet enough for her continued support. In return we have changed people’s minds and hearts, showing them anything is possible.” 

In 2014, Jose was introduced to surfing as part of his rehabilitation with the Naval Medical Center in San Diego. He did not surf prior to his accident, but now he says he cannot imagine life without it. He has become a dynamic competitor and respected athlete with impressive results in both local and national adaptive surfing competitions. He has won gold, silver, and bronze medals. 

Jose and Ricochet have also joined forces to battle the suicide epidemic among veterans through Jose’s inspirational speaking and Ricochet’s emotional healing abilities. They also catch waves together to raise awareness of the healing power of the ocean and the healing power of a dog. 

Jose has his sights on going to the Paralympics in 2028. But sadly, it will not happen in Ricochet’s lifetime because she is 13 years old now. “I take great comfort in knowing Ricochet’s legacy will live on through the sponsorship of Jose. It’s a privilege to be so closely associated with one of adaptive surfing’s most recognizable individuals”, said Judy Fridono, Ricochet’s guardian.

“Surf Dog Ricochet and Judy have been spreading stoke and joy to the adaptive surfing community for years,” said One More Wave founder, Alex West. “Everywhere they go, they bring knowledge, advocacy, and intention to a population of athletes too often left aside. Getting to partner with a community leader like Surf Dog Ricochet and provide a custom adaptive board to a living legend like Jose Martinez is an honor and joy for us as an organization.”

Ricochet is a certified goal-directed therapy dog that has been helping wounded warriors and veterans with PTSD since 2009. She is also an honorary member of Team USA due to her broad support of the adaptive surfing community. She became the first-ever canine-assisted surf therapy and adaptive surfing dog in 2009 when she jumped on the board of a 14-year-old boy with a spinal cord injury.

One More Wave is a 501c3 tax-exempt non-profit that provides wounded and disabled veterans with customized adaptive surfing equipment and fosters growth in the surf therapy community. Since its establishment in 2015, One More Wave has awarded over 500 grants that empower vets to find healing in surf zones across the country. There are many surf therapy organizations out there, but One More Wave is the only one that builds boards soup-to-nuts through a 27-step process to provide veterans with the adaptive tools they need to mend themselves.

Surf Dog Ricochet with Army Veteran Jose Martinez. Photo: Surf Dog Ricochet, used with permission.

Therapy dog Ricochet continues saving lives

Surf dog Ricochet survived COVID and continued saving lives by training a service dog puppy for a combat marine veteran. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Ricochet is a certified therapy dog, first-ever surf therapy dog, champion surf dog and celebrity star of the IMAX film, Superpower Dogs. She provides human-animal intervention for veterans and active-duty service members recovering from combat PTSD, moral injury, anxiety, and other mental health challenges. She has won scores of awards for her substantial work in human-animal intervention and healing. She also provides canine-assisted surf therapy and adaptive surfing to kids with autism and other special needs, differently abled individuals, wounded warriors and veterans with PTSD. (Surf Dog Ricochet, 2021)

Surf Dog Ricochet’s paw·té·gé, a seven-month-old black lab puppy named Balboa has been training with Ricochet as a service dog for Staff Sergeant Persons B. Griffith IV Ret (Griff), a Marine combat veteran with PTSD. Griff is Ricochet’s costar in the IMAX film, Superpower Dogs now showing at theaters that have finally re-opened, and is on Hulu as well. Ricochet worked with Griff as a therapy dog which ultimately led to their co-star status in the film. Ricochet and Griff originally met during a canine therapy clinic at Balboa Hospital, now called the Naval Medical Center San Diego. The puppy, Balboa was named after the place that brought Ricochet and Griff together. 

Due to the stay-at-home orders and social distancing brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, Ricochet’s therapy dog work with the military, as well as her canine-assisted surf therapy and adaptive surfing were suspended in March of 2020. After two months, Judy Fridono, Ricochet’s guardian noticed that she appeared aloof and depressed. “Ricochet’s entire life had been remarkably busy providing in-person support to others. But when Covid arrived, everything came to a complete stop. Because Ricochet had too much time on her paws, coupled with her need for human interaction, I was afraid she would not survive the pandemic. She’s 13 ½ years old now and I worried she would feel her life no longer had meaning and would check out,” said Fridono.

That is when Fridono, a service dog trainer had the idea of enlisting Ricochet’s help in the training of a PTSD service dog puppy for Griff. Training is time intensive and they certainly had an over-abundance of time. So, Ricochet became a mentor to the puppy, and the puppy became a paw·té·gé to Ricochet.

Griff served our country, kept us safe, sacrificed family, and so much more but he returned home fighting PTSD. Military recruits go through rigorous training to learn how to fight a war, but nobody teaches them how to come home after experiencing horrific battlefield atrocities. Every 65 minutes a veteran takes their life by suicide. That is one of the reasons Ricochet is helping Griff continue his healing journey with a service dog. She is committed to helping him in his recovery through healing. The things Griff experienced and saw in Afghanistan are too horrific to utter out loud but Balboa will know when Griff is anxious, having a panic attack, or a night terror. Balboa will know how to calm Griff and help him navigate further through recovery. Balboa will know because Ricochet will teach him.

Recognizing Griff’s service to our country, Ricochet is providing Balboa at no cost to him with the help of her supporters. The cost of raising and training a puppy to be a service dog for a veteran is not cheap. In fact, it can run upwards of $25,000. This includes training, placing, providing support, vet bills, wellness checks, food, treats, bones, supplies, grooming, vaccinations, license, monthly preventatives, wellness checks, team training, and other miscellaneous expenses. But just as importantly, Ricochet’s legacy will live on through Griff and Balboa… and that is priceless.