Updated: Sep 24, 2007 06:51 PM PDT

September 23, 2007

Reported by: Stacy Daniel

SAN LUIS OBISPO

Injured soldiers who've lost limbs or have suffered severe burns while fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan come to the Central Coast to catch waves.

Here are the facts first

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Operation Restoration was started last year by champion amputee surfer, Rodney Roller.
Roller got the idea after he was contacted by a vet who didn't want to give up surfing after loosing his leg in Iraq.
From there a wave of support was generated to help injured soldiers by introducing them to surfing.
A warm welcome for 16 wounded war veterans who are here to learn to surf.

The founder of the surf clinic says the ocean is theraputic for the soldeirs.

"There's healing power in it. You know? All the surfers know when you paddle out that you get healed by whatever problems that you have."

Thomas Lee lost his leg just four months ago in an I.E.D. blast in Iraq.

"I'm still working on the balance issues and stuff and I don't have a true water leg so I'll be lying down a lot and probably on knees, getting up on knees or something like that. As far as standing up, probably not."

But that's not going to stop him from trying.

Last year's group of surfing vets made waves by showing themselves and others what can be accomplished through courage and determination.

Veteran John Gierke says "I never thought I'd be hit by an I.E.D. and be able to ride a bike and go swimming go hiking and do everything I could do. I thought just because you lost a leg you can't do it but you can. You set your mind to it you can do anything you want to. Just because you lost a limb doesn't mean your life ends and people need to realize that."

This week's not about riding the perfect wave or becoming a skilled professional. It's about something much more than that: overcoming the challenges life has given them.

Roller says "My goal is to have the soldiers walk away with the feeling that they can conquer anything that they want to do."

A non-profit group called Operation Comfort, based in Texas, made the trip possible.