Trip to a Dream Surfing Destination Changed the Life of a 30-Year-Old Car Accident Survivor with a Spinal Cord Injury

30-year-old Ashley Bunting faced a difficult curveball after a car accident in 2018 disturbed her normal routine. Admitted to Craig’s hospital, Ashley went through a traumatic phase. The accident not only put the breaks on her nursing career but also created the possibility of her being handicapped forever. While overcoming these obstacles and recovering from a serious spinal cord injury, Ashley came to know about the Adventure Program Surf trip. She quickly grasped the golden surfing opportunity.

After deciding to take this trip provided by Adventure Program and AcesSurf, Ashley soon received another jolt. Unfortunately, the trip got temporarily postponed due to Covid-19. Luckily for the athlete, the trip finally took place after October 2022. Describing how the trip helped her to be her old self again, Ashley disclosed the amazing location of the trip.

Ashley Bunting’s surfing trip changed her perspective

Bunting had gone on this trip to Hawaii with her family. Enjoying with her parents, sister, two grandmothers, aunt, and cousin, Bunting regained her confidence. Tremendously happy, she expressed, “I feel independent, competitive for the first time in a long time.” 

Bunting and her big family had traveled to Oahu in Hawaii and had the time of their life. Elaborating on her experience in Hawaii, Bunting added, “I feel such a rush of adrenaline.” On this Hawaiian trip for five days, Bunting clearly had enjoyed herself to the fullest. A Facebook post by the Craig Hospital gave a glimpse of Bunting’s inspiring positive outlook.

Afterward, the athlete admitted how the trip helped her to de-stress. “I didn’t need to worry about my constant pain, spasms, or limited access to anything”, she explained. The trip helped her to rejuvenate herself and increased her belief in herself to such an extent that she took a massive step. Applying for Hawaii’s Adaptive Surfing championships in May, Ashley took a giant leap of faith. Applying for grants and scholarships to fund her surfing dream, Ashley moved out of her comfort zone.

Talking about this competition, Bunting stated, “I am very excited to compete, but I’m also nervous since this will be my first surfing competition.” Acquainted with adaptive surfing in November 2022, Bunting faces challenges while preparing for the competition from New Mexico. Since New Mexico is surrounded by land from all sides, the athlete doesn’t have the required exposure to waves to prepare for the surfing contest.

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However, Bunting is determined to give her 100% for fulfilling her dream and has already started organizing fundraisers for this purpose. The athlete’s courage likens her to the French surfer Justine Dupont’s fighting spirit. Dupont had experienced a fatal accident while surfing in Nazare, Portugal, and had broken her shoulder and injured her knee. Despite this, she promised a comeback to fans, four years after this deadly accident.

Bunting’s and Dupont’s stories will definitely inspire fans to never give up in life, no matter how many curveballs life throws. How could you relate to Bunting’s and Dupont’s stories? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

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