A Durban father and his son who has a disability are sharing the joy of being at the beach with others living with disability.
Wesley Smith, 43, and his son Reece Smith, 18, from Amanzimtoti, believe that living with a disability should not be a limitation for anyone.
And they are making this possible through their initiative called the Wheels on Waves.
Smith said that through a donation from local philanthropists, his quadriplegic son received the Sandcruiser which is a special wheelchair that glides over sand and rough patches and allows the user access into the water.
Reece decided immediately to donate the chair to the beach to be used by disabled people or those who could not access the water for any reason. They are this week’s unsung heroes.
Smith who is a surf and swimming coach said that he had been involved in assisting people to access the beach for more than five years, using floatable wheelchairs from the municipality. However they had been out of use for the past three years due to damages.
“I used to see holiday makers sitting on the grass in their wheelchairs while people roamed up and down at the beach, and we decided to change that.
When I saw someone with a disability who wished to get into the swell, I would work with the lifeguards and take them into the water and they would enjoy the experience.
“If the swells are conducive and the beach manager gives us a go ahead, a senior lifeguard always has the final say because of course safety is paramount,” said Smith.
He said that his son’s generous donation provided a much needed relief.
Smith said that the presence of two lifeguards, an assistant and a life jacket were important in order to carry out the act. The chair is also used to provide disabled people with a cruise at the beach, with the assistance of their family members.
He also facilitates beach visits for disabled people on pre-arrangement terms, absolutely free of charge.
“Reece and I wish to make Amanzimtoti a tourism hotspot for the disabled in South Africa and eventually, internationally. I know exactly what kind of challenges they experience as I am raising a disabled son as a single dad,” he said.
Smith said that the lack of funding posed a challenge to the smooth implementation of the project and they wished to receive assistance from the municipality and other individuals.
“Anyone who wishes to donate a chair could pay the funds directly to the company which manufactures them and a 100% of the money will go towards it,” he said.
Reece, who was described as a loving, respectful and caring sport enthusiast, said that he was inspired by seeing his father’s engagement in adaptive surfing and witnessing the joy and relief that everyone received from the experience, which encouraged him to lend a helping hand.
Smith said that their future plans included having a seated Volleyball court, adaptive surfing and fishing.
They relayed their gratitude to the Toti beach manager Jace Govender and the chair donors ‘The Friends of Toti.’
Those who wish to donate can contact Wesley Smith on 082 802 1348 or Reece on 066 439 8287 or email [email protected]