JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The veteran support organization Wounded Warrior Project is using paddleboarding to encourage new relationships and ultimately provide additional support among veterans.
Kerselia Lawal has been with the Navy for 20 and a half years. This is her second time going paddleboarding. She talked about her experience.
“The first time I was terrified,” Lawal said. “I can swim, but I’m not comfortable in water. However, the person who was teaching made me feel so comfortable. I overcame that fear.”
Lawal said after being in the Navy for 20 years, she got used to having the camaraderie and being around a lot of people. She talked about what happens when you retire from service.
“You kind of go into isolation because you’re not around those people every day, so sometimes if you have any mental health issues, sometimes it’ll get a little worse because you’re isolating,” she said.
Lawal’s husband is currently deployed, so it means a lot to her that she’s out there with other Warriors.
“Being able to have an outing and socialize with other veterans and also people who support us has just been amazing,” she said.
Most of the Warriors out there have been paddleboarding once or twice, but that’s the point of an outing like this.
WWP surveyed the veterans it serves, and four out of five said they sometimes or often feel isolated.
Daniel served in the United States Marine Corps from 2007-2015. He talked about why he joined the Wounded Warrior Project.
“Wounded Warrior Project has been a staple here in Jacksonville, Florida, and across the world,” Daniel said. ”They’ve taken care of a lot of veterans, including myself. They’ve helped me in times where I’ve needed them for food assistance and mental health assistance. They’ve been here for my family...”
It was Daniel’s first paddleboarding event.
“This is a little crazy, a little unnerving, but I’m having a great time, and I’m absolutely happy to be here with everybody,” he said.
He said it helps him not be as reclusive.
“The best part about it for me is getting to know other people and to stop being so reclusive like I have been,” Daniels said. “I’m very much a people person. I love to be around people, and this outing is just the first of many.”
Click here to learn more about the Wounded Warrior Project.
