Teen with cerebral palsy learns to surf after friends strap his wheelchair to paddleboard

672 次觀看・1 年前

A teen with cerebral palsy learned to surf after friends strapped his wheelchair to a paddleboard.

Daredevil Enzo Marcantoni, 18, from Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, was on holiday in New Hampshire when he tried it out.

Heartwarming videos show him beaming and shouting in delight.

Dad Walter Marcantoni, 56, said: "The guys at the surf shop had the idea to put Enzo's sports buggy on the paddleboard.

"After that - the rest was history!

"Enzo needs help with basic things, but just like any other 18-year-old, he wants to do things in life.

"He doesn't want anything to pass him by - he's up for anything. He loves skiing, boxing and any watersports.

"As soon as he got on the board, he just kept saying again, again, again!

"The videos don't even do his energy justice. As parents, we can see how much joy he gets out of it.

"We almost had tears in our eyes watching him!"

Walter said since Enzo's first ride on the board, he has been desperate to get on the water at every opportunity.

But Walter feels the most important thing is showing people that Enzo's disabilities won't ever hold him back.

He explained: "When most people look at our son, they see what’s missing, and what he can't do.

"But the staff at the surf shop saw past it all, and saw he just wants to have fun like everyone else.

"It takes really special people to see past those limitations and that's the most important message.

"We want to raise awareness and show that surfing can be inclusive for everyone.

"As long as Enzo wants to keep surfing, and it keeps putting a smile on his face, we'll make it happen."