Surfer Dan Fischer is Shaping an Active Grief Memorial through One Last Wave Project

"Something that I didn't have any sense of before...was happiness was up here and grief was down here, where it's really not. It's a universal human experience to lose. If we can recognize that we're all going through similar things and be able to share that, I think it's very healing."

~ Dan Fischer

In this week’s episode, Dan Fischer reflects on his journey of grieving the deaths of his dad and his dog Rudy, his best friend of 15 years. He recalls how a moment of vulnerability unexpectedly created a community of grievers willing to be vulnerable, too, as they find comfort and healing in connection — and in sharing stories of their loved ones who have died with Fischer, who writes their names on specially shaped surfboards he takes out into the ocean to honor their memories. Fischer’s One Last Wave Project is not only a way for him to celebrate his dad and their love of adventure, it also reminds him of the universality of grief and loss, the beauty of intentionally connecting to our loved ones, even when it hurts, and the power of openly admitting when we’re not OK.

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About Dan

Dan Fischer is the founder of the One Last Wave Project that journeys to use the healing power of the ocean to help families coping with the loss of a loved one. After facing the devastating loss of his father and best friend, he turned to surfing not only to cope with the emotions but also to reconnect to them through the natural world and honor the adventurous bond they had forged over a lifetime. What followed was a simple invitation on social media to submit stories of loss that turned into a global movement that has now helped thousands of grieving families. By etching the names of those lost onto surfboards and paddling them out to catch a symbolic last wave, the organization has created a community of healing and support for families, and a unique and active way to forever memorialize their loved ones in a place they loved.

Mentioned in this episode:

• One Last Wave Project

• Dan’s Instagram

• Surfing with Jonah Raisner, whose dad’s name was on a board

• How to Shape a Surfboard

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