“Still Can’t Believe She Is Gone”: Community Remembers the Saddening Memory of Late Adaptive Surfing Dog as Event in Her Honor Gets Canceled

The surfing arena is no more limited to humans; pets are becoming a frequent sight on the turf. Not so long ago, Ricochet, a popular surf dog, made a name for itself owing to the goodwill with which it helped people with disabilities via surfing and community engagement. The female golden retriever, originally from San Diego, was a pioneer in the realm of dog surfing. Tragedy struck, when on March 31, Ricochet, who was just 15, died after being diagnosed with liver cancer in August 2022.

A memorial service was scheduled for the surf dog when she passed away. Unfortunately, the paddle and out bonfire event, in Ricochet’s memory, had to be canceled, as shared in a Facebook post. Legions of Ricochet’s followers descended onto the comment section of the page, devoted to the surf dog, to express their disappointment.

Contributions that made the animal immortal

At the age of 15 months, Ricochet began participating in dog surfing competitions. For a number of years, she competed as a surf dog, often finishing in the top three. A YouTube video of the amazing animal surfing with a paraplegic youngster sparked widespread interest in her. Over the years, the surf dog gained notoriety as she rode the waves with other celebrities. Ricochet also provided assertive assistance to children with special needs, individuals with impairments, and veterans who had been injured or suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.

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After Ricochet’s video gained widespread recognition, her popularity used to advocate for and financially support many animal and humane causes. Despite her stardom, she often returned to her hometown of San Diego to participate in local activities. Ricochet worked as a therapy dog with active-duty servicemen suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and other disabilities as a consequence of their service in the war. ABC also highlighted Ricochet’s capacity to follow instructions given to her by autistic youngsters, through the iPad’s synthetic speech. Ricochet, was a hero in her own right.

Surfing fans united on the cancellation of her event

The Facebook page announced that the memorial event was called off because, on May 6 and 7, the beach where it was supposed to take place was blocked for a massive sand distribution operation. The surfing community as a whole, however, banded together in the comments to share memories of their beloved surf dog.

Even though the event was canceled, the community still has hopes for it to happen in the near future. As one comment read, “Hugs & prayers for Judy & Cori. Tributes will happen as they are meant to be!” Even after weeks, some of her fans remain in disbelief as one comment read, “I still can’t believe she is gone! She was so beautiful and perfect.”

The fans of the surf dog predict that Ricochet will be surfing in the afterlife, as one comment read, “Love and prayers of comfort. Surf right under The Rainbow bridge, Dear Ricochet!” This comment points out how the little friends of this surf dog will miss her, “The squirrels will miss her chasing them. So sorry about the paddle out, but Ricochet will understand.”

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The surf dog may no longer be physically present, but her legacy lives on in the hearts of surfers and surfing enthusiasts everywhere.