Jesse Billauer
Encyclopedia
Jesse Billauer is a well known surfer
from Pacific Palisades, California.
Billauer suffered an accident at the age of 17 on March 25, 1996, hitting his head
on a shallow sandbar after being knocked off his surfboard by a wave. The force broke his neck, severing his spinal cord at the C6 level and instantly rendered him a quadriplegic.
Billauer was told by doctors
that he would never surf again. However, Billauer eventually did return to surfing, adapting his surfing technique and equipment to the situation of his current condition. He has become a role model guide to many other surfers, both professional and amateur, on how to live a life to the fullest, despite a life changing injury.http://www.spinalcord.org/news.php?dep=31&page=152&list=1430 Through these efforts Jesse has gained sponsorships from companies including Nike, Hurley, Honda, Channel Islands Surfboards (who developed a "Jesse Billauer" model) and Boost Mobile.
After graduating from Malibu High School
, Billauer eventually enrolled at San Diego State University
, with an emphasis in communications. He graduated in 2002. He is also a motivational speaker, and is involved with a non profit foundation, "Life Rolls On." http://www.liferollson.org Through this foundation, Jesse is taking a leading role in awareness and activism for spinal cord injury research, picking up where Christopher Reeve
left off.
The 2003 Docu
-Film
Step Into Liquid
featured his story and his friendship with Rob Machado
. Billauer was also featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Dateline NBC, Good Morning America, While You Were Out, E! True American Story and more.
In 2004 he won the 10News (San Diego) Leadership Award for his commitment to Life Rolls On Foundation.
In 2005 Billauer became the first quadriplegic surfer to surf the dangerous waves of Cloudbreak
in Fiji.
The inaugural "Jesse's Story on Tour" speaking tour began in April 2006. This Tour has traversed the country and Jesse has delivered his message of Overcoming Adversity to over 100,000 people.
In December 2006 Billauer broke his femur while surfing large waves on the North Shore of Oahu (Hawaii). This injury led to the development of improved equipment for disabled surfers. He has recovered and is back in the water surfing again.
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
from Pacific Palisades, California.
Billauer suffered an accident at the age of 17 on March 25, 1996, hitting his head
Human head
In human anatomy, the head is the upper portion of the human body. It supports the face and is maintained by the skull, which itself encloses the brain.-Cultural importance:...
on a shallow sandbar after being knocked off his surfboard by a wave. The force broke his neck, severing his spinal cord at the C6 level and instantly rendered him a quadriplegic.
Billauer was told by doctors
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
that he would never surf again. However, Billauer eventually did return to surfing, adapting his surfing technique and equipment to the situation of his current condition. He has become a role model guide to many other surfers, both professional and amateur, on how to live a life to the fullest, despite a life changing injury.http://www.spinalcord.org/news.php?dep=31&page=152&list=1430 Through these efforts Jesse has gained sponsorships from companies including Nike, Hurley, Honda, Channel Islands Surfboards (who developed a "Jesse Billauer" model) and Boost Mobile.
After graduating from Malibu High School
Malibu High School
Malibu High School is a public secondary school in Malibu, California for middle school and high school . As one of three high schools in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, MHS serves the Malibu and Santa Monica communities and by inter-district permit, the greater Los Angeles area...
, Billauer eventually enrolled at San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
, with an emphasis in communications. He graduated in 2002. He is also a motivational speaker, and is involved with a non profit foundation, "Life Rolls On." http://www.liferollson.org Through this foundation, Jesse is taking a leading role in awareness and activism for spinal cord injury research, picking up where Christopher Reeve
Christopher Reeve
Christopher D'Olier Reeve was an American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, author and activist...
left off.
The 2003 Docu
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
-Film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
Step Into Liquid
Step Into Liquid
Step into Liquid is a documentary about surfing directed by Dana Brown, son of famed surfer and filmmaker Bruce Brown. The film includes surfing footage from the famous Pipeline, the beaches of Vietnam, and some of the world's largest waves, at Cortes Bank...
featured his story and his friendship with Rob Machado
Rob Machado
Robert Edward Machado is an American professional surfer from Cardiff-by-the-Sea, a community in Encinitas , California....
. Billauer was also featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Dateline NBC, Good Morning America, While You Were Out, E! True American Story and more.
In 2004 he won the 10News (San Diego) Leadership Award for his commitment to Life Rolls On Foundation.
In 2005 Billauer became the first quadriplegic surfer to surf the dangerous waves of Cloudbreak
Tavarua
Tavarua is a heart shaped island in Fiji. It has an area of . The island is close to the main Fijian isand, Viti Levu, and is surrounded by a coral reef....
in Fiji.
The inaugural "Jesse's Story on Tour" speaking tour began in April 2006. This Tour has traversed the country and Jesse has delivered his message of Overcoming Adversity to over 100,000 people.
In December 2006 Billauer broke his femur while surfing large waves on the North Shore of Oahu (Hawaii). This injury led to the development of improved equipment for disabled surfers. He has recovered and is back in the water surfing again.
External links
- Life Rolls On Foundation
- Feature in Ability Magazine
- Official website and Full Bio
- http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=1198961&page=1
- Jesse Billauer Google Search