Every third Saturday of the month, One More Wave surf chapters host surf sessions across the country. At one of these sessions in Virginia Beach, the chapter proudly presented a custom surfboard to US Navy veteran Tim DeMaio. His story is one of service, resilience, and healing through surf therapy — read on to learn more.
Tim’s all-black, 10-foot longboard features anti-shark stripes on the bottom, a precaution he chose since he’s had more than his share of shark encounters in the ocean.
“I also have one of my unit patches as the central logo,” Tim explained, “which represents who I was and what I went through, and then the Viking symbol, which is my company, Berserker Built — representing who I am now.”
Tim served in various special assignments in the military, including as a member of the Navy Marksmanship Team, SEAL Team 17, and Naval Support Unit State Department.
He’s been deployed to over 50 countries, and in 2021, he was injured when a VBIED (vehicle-borne improvised explosive device) exploded in Armenia. This experience led to personal challenges with post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, and persistent stress.
The past year has been especially difficult for Tim and his family. His wife, Tabitha, was diagnosed with stage-four cancer. Tim is a father of two young children, juggles two full-time jobs, and is also attending school to further his education. Despite these immense challenges, he had third Saturday marked on his calendar for weeks.
“Knowing that I have an outlet in the community at least once a month is pretty inspiring and impactful for me,” Tim shared. “It's more than just getting on a board and being in the water — it's the whole community that acts as a beacon of hope to continue my healing.”
Story by Matt Fratus