A swell of friends’ support

In early March, Dan Forte was out among the waves surfing with friends when he heard a lifeguard shout he was on the way to help.

Forte looked around and saw others rushing to more shallow waters. In an instant, he realized what was going on. His friend, Jay Thomas, 32, was hurt.

What everyone hoped was just a minor spill over a wave off Huntington Beach pier ended up being much more severe — Thomas, suffered a spinal-cord injury paralyzing him from the chest down.

Enter Thomas’ friends, such as Forte, who are figuring out ways to help raise money to cover Thomas’ expenses not covered by insurance as he tries to recover.

Tuesday, Forte is going to paddle out off Newport Beach — the area in front of Blackies By the Sea — and go on a surf-a-thon.

It’s just one way Thomas’ friends have been trying to help him out since his accident March 2.

Forte, Thomas and others credit Huntington Beach lifeguards and paramedics that day for saving Thomas’ life and giving him hope of a full recovery.

After two surgeries soon after the accident, doctors told Thomas he suffered an incomplete spinal injury and with time and therapy, he could expect a full recovery.

More than two months later, Thomas has moved on from rehabilitation from a Long Beach hospital and has progressed to out-patient physical therapy.

He’s still stuck in a hospital bed in Brea and the medical bills are adding up.

At the surf-a-thon donors can pledge a certain dollar amount they’ll donate every time Forte catches a wave.

“I’m going to go for it,” he joked. “I’m a wave hog anyway.”

From about 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Forte will be out in the surf watching sets and looking for waves to catch. Every wave he catches equals more money to help his friend through physical therapy.

“The guy is totally handicapped and there’s a lot of stuff in your daily life that you need to be able to do and he’s not able to,” Forte said. “He’s a good guy and he deserves the best.”

For more information on the surf-a-thon, go to Forte’s website at www.danosurfboards.blogspot.com,or call him at (949) 515-9455.

To see how Thomas is progressing on his recovery, go to his website at jaysroadtorecovery.blogspot.com.