View Single Post
  #1  
Old 09-20-2012, 09:28 AM
ricki's Avatar
ricki ricki is offline
Administrator
Site Admin
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Florida
Posts: 8,700
Default Brooke, A Young Injured Surfer Could Use Our Help


Brooke Thabit

I first met the Thabits eight years ago when I moved into their neighborhood. I can recall Brooke, just a young girl in those days, charged with energy, life and intelligence. She developed a love for the ocean, diving and in particular surfing over the following years. You would see her surfing off the local beach many weekends, becoming immersed in the life. We had spoken about getting into kitesurfing a couple of times and I thought she might do so in the future.

A couple of years back her family relocated to the seaside community of Jensen Beach, FL. Surfing and the ocean became an even more integral part of her life. No more Bahamas in the way of those nice good sized long period waves rolling in from the Atlantic. She is currently a senior at Jensen Beach High School and heavily involved in the community.





She got a job with Ohana Surf Shop in Stuart, FL and became a teamrider for the shop. She threw herself into the Ohana's community service work including Surfers For Autism and The Special Olympics.



Brooke riding off Hutchinson Island, FL.


On Labor Day this year she was hanging out with some friends on a dock, just kidding around. Being an avid waterperson she launched a dive into the water. What she didn't realize is that the turbid water was only knee deep.

She struck bottom, fractured her neck and immediately suffered paralysis. She underwent emergency surgery and has been progressing slowly with some limited restoration of sensation and movement in her lower extremities since that time. Still, she is an upbeat person by nature and well liked in the community receiving support from her many friends. She even received a visit from a famous surfing icon, Jamie O'Brien recently. Jamie is renown for his exploits at his home break of Pipeline in Oahu. Brooke was really stoked by this visit, bringing a huge smile to her face.



Jamie O'Brien visits with Brooke in the hospital.





You can read more about Brooke and Jamie's visit in an in depth five page illustrated article in Easternsurf.com:
http://www.easternsurf.com/index.php...-up&Itemid=111




Still, recovering from such injuries is never an easy, short term thing. It takes strong commitment, patience and money to fund rehab over an extended period of time. She is being relocated to a special center in Atlanta, Georgia to aid her rehabilitation. In fact, I understand the family is taking Brooke up there tomorrow.

Brooke could really use your support, both positive messages and donations if you can to aid in her healing.



You can easily make donations online through Ohana Surf Shop
with all funds going directly to Brooke's family for her care at:
http://www.indiegogo.com/welovebrooke


and

They are raffling a surfboard signed by Jamie O'Brian to benefit Brooke ...



"LETS RAISE SOME $$$ FOR BROOKE!!! wE ARE RAFFLING A RUSTY 6'0 BALI SINGLE FIN-SIGNED BY JAMIE O'BRIEN AND HAND SHAPED BY RUSTY--TICKETS ARE $5 EACH---100% GOES TO BROOKE'S REHAB EXPENSES!!! ISLAND WATER SPORTS IN DEERFIELD IS DOING THE SAME IF YOU ARE DOWN THAT WAY."






You can purchase raffle tickets for the surfboard at:



http://www.ohanasurfshop.com/


and at



http://www.islandwatersports.com/


Brooke is a free spirt, giving person and child of the ocean, please help her if you can. It would be great to see her surfing again one of these days. With our support, hard work in rehab and good fortune it may come to pass.

Thank you





.
__________________
FKA, Inc.

transcribed by:
Rick Iossi

Last edited by ricki; 09-20-2012 at 09:44 AM.
Reply With Quote