Izzy Paskowitz and Surfer's Healing

Imagine living this lifestyle: You live with your parents and seven brothers and one sister in a camper that's designed to sleep six. Your family follows the waves up and down the California and Baja coasts. You and your siblings don't go to school; your parents, the road and the waves will be your teachers.

It's seems impossible to get along with 10 family members in such close quarters. Most of us with just one parent and sibling would need to be sedated all day to handle it, yet for Israel "Izzy" Paskowitz, this scenario was a sublime reality for six years in a row, and off and on for 20 years.

Izzy went on to become one of the best longboarders in modern times, winning his first contest in 1983. He now runs the Paskowitz Surf Camp as well as Surfer's Healing, a non-profit that teaches children with autism how to surf.

The Surf Camp just concluded its 31st season. It was originally located in San Onofre and created by the patriarch of the Paskowitz clan, Dorian, better known as "Doc" Paskowitz, one of the most famous names in surfing history who at 84-years young still lives and surfs 6-8 foot Waimea Bay (although on his knees because of an injury).

The camp has relocated to the heart of SD county at Campland by the Bay, where first-time surfers are immersed in the Aloha spirit by not only Izzy, who is the fourth oldest in the Paskowitz clan, but several of his siblings as well. Even Doc occasionally visits the camp. The actual surfing is now done in Pacific Beach.

Surf Shot recently caught up with Izzy as he was in the airport waiting for a flight to Cabo San Lucas, where he conducts a twice-yearly surf camp. With so many of the Paskowitz clan involved in surfing, they are by far the preeminent royal surf family.

While many surfers are familiar with the Paskowitz clan and camps, not as much is known about Izzy's work with autistic kids, including one of his three children, Isaiah, who is 14 and suffers from the neurological disorder that usually attacks children at an early age and severely disrupts their social and emotional systems.

Izzy talks about what it's like to witness an autistic child demonstrate unbridled enthusiasm and joy while surfing.

"The feeling I get is so unreal," he says. "The emotions I experience are on par with what it felt like when I won surf contests and stood up on the podium getting my trophy...only this feeling is even better."

Autistic children who participate in Surfer's Healing don't get charged for their water therapy, yet the impact on them lasts for a long time. About his son Isaiah and what the surf camps means to him, Izzy says, "He reacts so positively when he's in the water, and like a typical teen, he don't want his old man following him around."

Izzy has a feeling that his autistic child knows that he's the reason why the Surfer's Healing camps were created. "He likes being my poster boy," says Izzy. "He's out there at every event surfing."

Surfer's Healing surf camps are held at San Clemente, and occasionally in Hawaii and New York, where one surf camp held in September at Long Beach got much media publicity, including the New York Times. More locations will soon be added.

People magazine and HBO's program "Real Sports" are two other high-profile media outlets that featured Surfer's Healing. During last month's New York surf camp, Izzy says that Isaiah was recognized on more than one occasion by people on the street, who recognized his son on Real Sports.

"Isaiah doesn't speak so well," says Izzy, "so we had to speak up for him, but we were very proud of our famous autistic son."

Isaiah is going through puberty and Izzy is concerned how the super-charged hormones will affect his son's behavior.

"He's a big boy, 5'9" and 210 pounds, so sometimes I'm scared when I'm not there for him. But he is very happy; he has many good days, thank God."

Although Kelly Slater and other top pros contribute to Surfer's Healing, Izzy says that he needs a lot more help from the surf industry. OP and Billabong have been supportive, but Izzy says there are a lot more people in the surf industry who should help bring autism research and funding to the forefront of the surf community.

"Autism and mental health awareness should be as well-known as Surfrider," he says.

Still, Izzy is stoked to be in the surfing business. "I'm proud to introduce surfing to newbies, it's the ancient Hawaiian sport of kings, and it is our legacy to teach more than just how to catch a wave; but also to give back to the community."

With so many surf camps to conduct and high-profile media interviews to grant, Surf Shot is equally stoked that Izzy took the time to talk with his backyard surfing publication.

Web sites: www.paskowitz.com and www.surfershealing.com