Spirited Quadriplegic Surfer Inspires Others

ByABC News via logo
August 20, 2004, 10:24 AM

Aug. 20, 2004 -- It started out as just another day at the beach in Malibu, Calif., for surfer Jesse Billauer, until one wave brought his world crashing down.

"The wave hit me on my back and I went head first into the water and didn't have time to put my hands up and my head hit the bottom sandbar my whole body went numb and tingly and I just had this numbness go through out my whole body," Billauer said.

Billauer said he knew something had gone terribly wrong almost immediately. He soon found out that his gut instinct was right. The surfing accident had left him a quadriplegic, with no sensation or movement below his mid-chest and only limited use of his arms and hands.

But at just 17 years old in March, 1996, Billauer handled his injury with grace and maturity. He took on a grueling physical therapy schedule and re-trained his muscles in his arms. He even learned to ride a special bicycle, pedaling with his hands.

But Billauer, who was once rated one of the top 100 surfers in the world, still wanted to hit the waves, so his brother, Josh, who is also a surfer, and his friends found a way to make it happen.

Call of the Ocean

His brother and friends created a surfboard that could hold Billauer lying flat. After he's escorted to a wave by his best friends, Billauer takes it from there. He uses his elbows to help him steer the board. When he falls into the ocean, he floats with his head above the water until his friends can assist.

Billauer says the sense of peace he achieves when he's in the water just doesn't compare to anything else.

While the transition to a life with limited physical movement has been difficult for Billauer, his brother, Josh, has been hit almost as hard. Since the accident, Josh has wanted to do everything for his younger brother.

"I've been accused of putting myself last. I just want him to have everything. So if he can't do it, I'll do it for him," Josh Billauer said.