Devyn Bisson, 15, suffers a spinal cord injury, gears up the courage to surf again.

By KEITH SHARON

The Orange County Register

BACK FOR MORE: Devyn Bisson, 15, of Huntington Beach, is photographed underneath the Huntington Beach Pier before surfing for the first time since being hit in the head by a surfboard last August.

HUNTINGTON BEACH She doesn't remember the man's name or much more about him. Just that he approached her and asked for donations as she worked at Becker Surfboards.

And how that changed everything.

On that summer day in 2007, Devyn Bisson was the kind of 15-year-old that we want all 15-year-olds to be – bright, athletic, enthusiastic, a bundle of bounce. She was intrigued by what this man was saying.

He was talking about Life Rolls On, a foundation that supports young people with spinal cord injuries. He handed her a brochure. He told her about an upcoming event where paraplegics would be guided into the ocean on surfboards so they could sense the joy of riding a wave. That image struck her – having surfing taken away by a devastating injury, then mustering the courage to go back into the water.

The man walked out of the store that day without knowing that his impassioned pitch had started a strangely coincidental series of events. Within weeks, Devyn's life would be in danger. Her priorities would be forever altered. And, a new overwhelming project would take over her teenage existence.

Devyn went home from work determined to do something to help Life Rolls On. She found their Web site, and read about the event the man had described. She watched inspiring videos called "They Will Surf Again."

She filled out an online application to volunteer at the next Life Rolls On event, listing her experience as a Junior Lifeguard, as a water polo player and as a longtime surfer as the reasons she would be qualified to help someone with a spinal cord injury into the water.

Devyn hit send. By the time the application came back, Devyn would not be the same person.