LROhana Magic

Dear Life,

What makes a FAMILY?
The traditional definition of family are parents who love, care for and provide for their children. 
This definition is important and essential.
But there is another version of family that I want to talk about today.
There is a family built from community.  
A community that came about because one young man was injured doing what he loved the most. 
Jesse Billauer was 17 years old and headed towards becoming a pro surfer when he hit a sand bar surfing.
He became paralyzed instantly and his life changed.
He decided that becoming a paraplegic wasn't going to stop him from continuing to enjoy life and that was how 
LIFE ROLLS ON began.
For the last four years, Kumaka has been blessed to participate in "They Will Surf Again" events in Huntington Beach and La Jolla California 
as well as tear it up at the Venice skate park at the "They Will Skate Again" events.  
Kumaka has learned so much from participating in these events.
He has become more independent, more willing to try things, knowing that he is ABLE to.



At the "They Will Skate Again" Event in Venice, California 2015 after landing his first rail attempt 










But he also has a very special relationship with Jesse and Sam and all of the volunteers that have helped him over the years.  






Jesse Billauer and Kumaka at "They Will Skate Again" 2015





This year his daddy couldn't come to the La Jolla event.
That was the first time his daddy couldn't be out surfing with him.
He literally cried for two days.
He didn't want to go.
He didn't want to surf.
I had to promise him that I wouldn't make him surf without his daddy.
The day came and all of Kumaka's friends were so excited to surf.
But he wasn't.  He was sad.

Sam Billauer, Jesse's beautiful and amazing wife talked to Kumaka a few times trying to change his mind.  (By the way....she is putting out fires all day to keep the whole day running smoothly....so the fact that she spent time on Kumaka to try to get him to surf shows how much she loves these kids)





Sam Billauer and Kumaka at "They Will Surf Again" La Jolla, California 2015

Later on, Cory, Kumaka's fearless Red Team captain, the man who has surfed with Kumaka every single time he's surfed took a few minutes to talk to him.  
He got him in the water to swim and then all of a sudden Kumaka was ready to surf. 


 Photo Cred: John Jefferson

Party Wave in La Jolla, California



Photo Cred: John Jefferson
Kumaka had the best time surfing with two of his friends.
Cory's son even surfed with Kumaka towards the end of the session.
After Kumaka was done, he told me how happy he was he surfed and wanted to go out again.  

Photo Cred: John Jefferson

The incredible Cory and Kumaka after surfing.

That is Life Rolls On Magic. 



These amazing people take their whole day out to help create magic.


This year, Kumaka's sister Sofi surfed for the first time. 
In Huntington Beach, our hometown, our sweet Bulgarian princess SURFED.
It was an amazing and beautiful experience.
When we watched that magical moment, we remembered where she came from.  
We remembered her first three years of life.

Three years in a crib. 
Never leaving it.
Looking at white walls.
No mommy or daddy to take care of her or love her.
No family.
She was free.....free 
from that past as she was held up by Cory.


He sat her in front of him on the surfboard because she can't lay on her stomach happily.
The minute he took off on a wave, she squealed with delight and her smile lit up the ocean.  

Photo Cred: Jerry Jaramillo

I'm sure God was looking down on that miracle moment and 
smiled.
She caught four waves that day.

Our little Bulgarian princess is now a mermaid. 

Photo Cred: Anthony Manliguez

From the orphanage in Bulgaria to the OCEAN in California.

That is Life Rolls On Magic.

That is LROhana 

{Ohana means Family in Hawaiian}

From the Jensen Ohana to the Billauer Family and all of the LRO volunteers and sponsors....thank you for an amazing year and thank you for making MAGIC.

Photo Cred: Anthony Manliguez

and a Bulgarian Princess

Life Rolls On

Dear Life,

There was a time, not so long ago, that being disabled was almost worse than a death sentence.  
It meant living in a chair.
Watching from the sidelines.
Not included.
Not talked to.
Ignored.
Avoided.
Talked about.
Pointed at.
Laughed at.
Not taken out in public.

The wheelchairs were heavy and cumbersome.
Nothing was accessible.

It was easier to be at home.

Maybe not even easier to be home, because homes weren't accessible either.

I know that people stare at Kumaka.

I see it.

I see kids do double takes, triple takes.

I know they want to ask their parents what happened to him.

It's natural. 

Parents shush their kids and pull them away.

It's happened.

Kumaka stares back.

I'm sure wishing they would come back and play.

Sometimes parents will "let" their kids come over to play.

Unless they start asking questions.

Then they gather them up.

This year something magical happened.  
Kumaka was given a different kind of wheelchair.
A WCMX wheelchair.  
It has changed his whole life. 

(This picture is when it was new....it was given to us after much use by Timmy "Fun Size")

There are a couple of things missing on this chair.
About twenty extra pounds.
Brakes.
Anti-tippers.

At first, he was afraid of falling.
Afraid of getting hurt.

Christiaan "Rollin' Otter", Kumaka

He rolled around in this wheelchair still living in the "wheelchair box".
Little by little he went faster, he pushed himself a little more.
He tried some new things.
Wheelchair basketball.
Wheelchair fun runs.

And then Venice happened.
We went to a Life Rolls On event at the Venice Skatepark.

Jesse Billauer,Kumaka,  Tiphany Adams

Best Day Ever. 
The event was amazing.
So many volunteers to make sure that everyone was safe.
And wonderful pros to teach everyone.

Aaron "Wheelz", Christiaan "Rollin' Otter"

Volunteer, Kumaka, Rollin' Otter

Kumaka, Lizard King

Aaron "Wheelz", Kumaka

"Wheelz", Kumaka

Fun with friends. 

Day of smiles.

Misty Diaz, Kumaka

Alanna, Kumaka

 Suddenly,  Kumaka has found that his chair is not a hindrance.

He's not afraid anymore.

His chair still makes him stand out.
But in a completely different way.
The chair is allowing him to LIVE.
Kids point still, and they watch him.
They want to figure out how he is balancing on two wheels.
Or how he hopped the curb.
Or how he does those 360's so fast.
They want a spin on those wheels.

When a toddler is learning to walk, they fall.  All the time.  Then they pick themselves up only to fall again.  Eventually, they fall less...that's when they start walking...and then running.

When a person in a wheelchair falls, people get scared.  They rush to help them up.  They check to make sure nothing is injured. They are told to be careful, to not hurt themselves. And of course that is all well meaning.  

But sometimes, just sometimes. people have to think outside of the chair.

That's the way the way they only truly live.

Kumaka is learning to fall.

He's also learning how to get up.

More importantly he's learning how to keep going.

He's learning how to think outside of the chair.

He's learning how to live....and really enjoy himself doing it.

Team Box

Left to right:

Aaron "Wheelz" Fotheringham, Lourdes Mack, Jonathan "Fatboy" Stark, "Rockin" Kumaka Jensen AKA "Little", Christiaan "Rollin' Otter" Bailey, Quinn Waitley, Timothy "Fun Size" Rodriguez, Mike Box (Wheelchair maker extraordinaire) , David Lebuser, Troy McGuirk

I am  grateful to Mike Box who listens to people and creates chairs that allow people to LIVE.  

I am grateful to all of the coaches and athletes that have gone before Kumaka...and work hard to show littles like him that there is a whole lot of fun to be had...whether you are in a chair or not.  

I am grateful for the friends we have made on this journey so far...they are near and dear to my heart...they've given my boy wings and a strength to do whatever he wants to do in his life. They've taught him that the sky is the limit. 

Be strong, and live beyond the chair.