Have You Met ‘Curt’?
I met Curt on the Amtrax Surflner (spelling) on my way from Orange County to Santa Barbara County for the Thanksgiving holiday.
“CURT The Movie” is a short documentary about 50-year-old competitive surfer, Curt Harper. Diagnosed with autism as a child, Curt faced many challenges growing up, but one thing that came easy was his love for surfing. Over the past 21 years, Curt has become a beloved fixture in the Southern California surf scene, having played an unlikely, yet vital role in the growth and development of multiple generations of groms.
When we were kids growing up in LA County, Curt would take us to the beach when our parents couldn’t. What would ensue was a day of playful heckling and hysterical Curt quotes, many of which have stuck with us to this day. Those memories are what inspired this documentary. We set out to make a film about Curt, not autism. However, this project has introduced us to some incredible people and organizations in the autistic community, and we want to take this opportunity to talk about them: Best Buddies got Curt his job at William Morris Endeavor and has been working with him for over 17 years, Autism Speaks is highly reputable in the fields of research, advocacy, and awareness, and THERAsurf is a young organization that uses surfing as a form of healing, which the filmmakers also volunteer for on a regular basis. All three of these organizations have shown us tremendous support. We believe in what they do, urge you to learn about them, and get involved!
I had a good long conversation with Curt, and he told me about Curt The Film. It gives you a very clear idea of who Curt is and what Curt does. If you have a few minutes, watch this: Curt the film.
There is a brief video clip on Curt. Curt The Film. Check it out.
http://www.curtthefilm.com/getinvolved/
For Those Of You That Use FaceBook: Curt Surfs on FaceBook.
That was how the conversation went until Curt got off of the train. It was a remarkable conversation with a remarkable person and fellow surfer. I mean here was this guy that many people who would have counted out, but here he was, such a positive and highly energetic person living an amazing life. He literally inspired me to look at my life a bit differently, to be more positive, to try to enjoy each day more.
Take a few moments to watch the short film on Curt. It will change how you think about life.
http://www.curtthefilm.com/getinvolved/
Curt reminded me of one of my favorite surfers, a guy who literally lives life by his rules, surfs as he wants, and one that was misunderstood for too long. Have you heard of Clay Marzo? If so, here is a great short video on the Clay Marzo you may know. If not.
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