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

Witnessing miracles

Dear Life,

I know I've been telling you all about Sofi's story, but I have something in my heart I want to share.

8 years ago in July we went for an ultrasound to find out if our baby was going to be a boy or a girl.

We left the hospital in a daze, with tears rolling down our cheeks and horror in our hearts.
Tears because our perfect little baby was diagnosed with a neural tube defect called Spina Bifida, Hydrocephalus, and bilateral club feet.
Horror because we were told one of our options was to terminate.
Our appointment was on a Friday, and the radiologist wouldn't even explain what the diagnosis meant. He said we would have to wait until we saw our OB. I called her office immediately but she was gone for the weekend.
How were we supposed to go forward without knowledge?
We went home to our boys, who clamored to find out if they were having a brother or a sister. We took them to the pool, told them they would be having another brother, but he was going to have health problems.
The rest of the weekend was a blur...
Monday we met with our OB.
She explained what Spina Bifida was in greater detail and reiterated our option to terminate.
We forcefully told her we would not be doing so.
We were told our son could be retarded (their words), might not walk, might have learning difficulties and his quality of life would be bad and there was a possibility of death.
We wanted our son.
We lived through that summer and fall somehow, searching for hope.
8 years ago, there were no blogs, no Facebook, no groups.
We found graphic and rather frightening pictures that scared us to death.
When Kumaka was born, he had major surgery to close his back and place a shunt.


For 4 years, he struggled with various health issues and surgeries.

He had such an amazing spirit. His smile was so beautiful and he was always happy.

Even in the hospital, he would thank the nurses after putting in an IV ( with tears in his eyes).

He was a fighter.
A warrior.




And once his health got better, he was given the gift of a special WCMX wheelchair.

He learned how to go to skateparks and shred with the skaters.

He learned how to play wheelchair sports.

He wheeled his first 5 K.

He surfed.

He became an athlete.

He became a student.

He is now reading.
And sharing his joy of life with his friends.

Looking back eight years ago, we never ever thought our son would do one of the things he is doing.
And he is in good company. Within his circle of friends, there is an author, a cover model, an actor, an actress, athletes of all kinds, an aspiring swimmer, a dancer..... And the list goes on.
These children are all AMAZING.
Every day there is a new story being told....
Many parents were told to terminate.
Thank goodness they didn't listen.

A life impacted

Dear Life,

It is amazing to watch when a life (or several for that matter) are impacted because of another person.

17 years ago there was a  17 year old boy.
He had a bright future ahead.
He was an up and coming young surfer.
Until the day his future was jeopardized when he was injured surfing at Zuma beach.
He suffered a spinal cord injury that left him a paraplegic.
The doctors told him he would never surf again.

Never say never.

Eventually he did start surfing again.
And then he created an organization to help others surf too.

His name is Jesse Billauer.

 Kumaka Jensen, Jesse Billauer, Katie Hull

As founder of Life Rolls On Foundation, Jesse now serves as 

the organization's Director of National Outreach. "LRO is an 

avenue to hope, independence, freedom, happiness, 

inspiration, and teamwork," he explains. "It is about bringing

people together and changing lives one day, one program,

and one person at a time.

Pic courtesy of Diane Edmonds, yourwavepics.com

This Saturday we saw so many smiles and so many miracles. 

So many of our friends surfed, some for the first time.

Pic courtesy of Diane Edmonds, yourwavepics.com

A beautiful smile from our dear friend Katie, after catching the first waves of the day.

Pic courtesy of Diane Edmonds, yourwavepics.com

Lourdes, catching a fun wave with a wonderful smile on her 

face.

Pic courtesy of Diane Edmonds, yourwavepics.com

Brock, smiling from ear to ear.

Pic courtesy of Diane Edmonds, yourwavepics.com

Carlos is getting his shred on.

Pic courtesy of Diane Edmonds, yourwavepics.com

First time surfing made Misty smile like an angel.

When it was Kumaka's turn, I watched from the shore as Kumaka was carried into the ocean.

Tears streamed from my eyes as I watched a team of twenty, all in red, waiting to catch him if he fell.

I knew behind me was our whole family, there to cheer him on.

I smiled... thinking about Kumaka's daddy, and two of his brothers who were there in that same ocean, helping him do what he "shouldn't" be able to do. 

As they paddled with him, farther and farther, I could barely see him.

I wondered what he was thinking.  

I wondered if he was scared.

And then all of a sudden I see them take off.....and it sounded like the whole beach let off a cheer as Cory stood up and then lifted Kumaka up in the air and they caught a wave just like that.

Pic courtesy of Diane Edmonds, yourwavepics.com

AMAZING.

Arms were in the air, tears were flowing, and all you could hear was "Yeah...go Kumaka"

Pic courtesy of Presley Photography

Wave after wave he surfed, until the last one...when his daddy got to surf with his boy for the very first time.

Pic courtesy of Diane Edmonds, yourwavepics.com

An amazing moment for Stuart...and a great day for a six year old boy.

And today, he told his daddy, 

"Thank you for being there for me daddy."

This made me reflect on the ripple effect from one person.

One person was injured...and made the choice to 

LIVE LIFE.

He shared his passion with others wanting to 

LIVE LIFE after a spinal cord injury.

That passion has created this movement called 

Life Rolls On.

All because this young man never gave up. 

Because he knew that Life Rolls On.