THE INCREDIBLE PAULK

After a devastating wildfire in Lahaina Maui, Aaron Paulk’s world is turned upside down.

As a kid, Aaron Paulk  grew up dreaming of becoming a Navy SEAL. But he was forced to find a new path, after being diagnosed with a rare progressive eye disease that can lead to total blindness.

Now, years after his diagnosis, he has become of the top visually impaired surfers in the world–and faces some of his biggest competitions yet. He may one day go to the Paralympics, if surfing is included as a sport. But, his life is upended once again after his home and community of Lahaina, Maui, is lost in the devastating fires.

But for Aaron, surfing goes beyond just winning surfing competitions and titles. The ocean is the only place where he cultivates resilience and interdependence within his community, one wave at a time.

The ocean has always been a space where he finds balance and refuge. With his home and town reduced to ash, it’s where he turns to rebuild, wave by wave.