A Florida teen with terminal brain cancer recently had one of his dreams come true, thanks to a surfing dog named Ricochet.
Last July, when 15-year-old Caleb Acosta was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer, he told Make-A-Wish Foundation that he wanted to catch waves with a surfing dog he once saw featured on ESPN.
According to Ricochet's website, she is the "only dog in the world who surfs with kids with special needs, people with disabilities, wounded warriors, military families and veterans with PTSD."
Acosta joined those special ranks last week when the foundation flew him and his family from Apopka, Florida to San Diego, Calif., to meet the famous four-legged surfer.
"My son is an amazing kid," the teen's mother said in a video posted on Ricochet's YouTube. "Despite all his pain and all of his difficult situations, that smile that you see, it's always there. He always has it."
Acosta was definitely all smiles as he was wheeled out into the ocean and helped onto a longboard, with Ricochet always nearby.
When he was asked how it was out in the waves, he replied, "Super fun!"
"I just felt almost normal, finally. It felt really good to be free, not worrying about anything, having someone to keep my balance."
Acosta's family adventure was more than just an awesome surf session. According to the PrayForCaleb Facebook page, the family was able to experience all that southern California has to offer. They stopped by Disneyland and California Adventure and went fishing at Huntington Beach pier and sightseeing around Hollywood.
Cathy says that the family doesn't know what Acosta's life expectancy is and that they "are not interested in hearing it" so they can continue "believing and living each day to it's fullest." [sic]
After his surf session, a news reporter asked Acosta how he stays so strong.
"It's just, I don't know," he replied with a smile. "Just with God's help, everything is possible. So I know he has a plan for me."
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