A Surf Dream Come True

 

After making the long drive from Las Vegas to Southern California, a calendar mix up almost prevented nine-year-old Connor Schriever from surfing Malibu’s pristine waves. But thanks to quick thinking by organizers with the Mauli Ola Foundation, the young cystic fibrosis patient experienced something most beginning surfers only dream of — a one-on-one surf lesson with a local legend. 

“He said it was better than going to Disneyland,” said Allen Sarlo, the “keeper of Malibu” who stepped in on Saturday, Sept. 20 to give Connor a private surf lesson at Surfrider Beach.

Schriever and his family hit the road the week of Sept. 15, planning a few days of fun, including a visit to Disneyland and California Adventure. The week would culminate with a Surf Experience Day in Malibu for Connor and other cystic fibrosis patients. 

Cystic fibrosis causes a heavy mucus buildup in the lungs, and saline/saltwater treatments help break up the buildup. For patients like Connor, getting to play in the ocean is a natural treatment for something he spends nearly three hours treating every day. 

According to his mother, Connor wakes up 90 minutes before his ...more