NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — A group of veterans who found peace on the water started Lines of Liberty, an organization that has been taking veterans and first responders on free fishing trips for nearly two years.
“Since it helped us so much, we decided we have to share it with everybody,” said Mike Stevens, a veteran involved in the group.
WATCH: Veterans group offers free fishing trips to help people with trauma
The trips serve as a form of therapy for those dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder and other emotional trauma.
“Something about being out on the water and fishing and just being able to talk to somebody who’s chewed the same dirt opens up maybe some avenues,” Stevens said.
Now, Lines of Liberty aims to expand its mission to include people with mobility challenges, such as Navy veteran Rick Rettinger, who uses a wheelchair.
“For me, my happy place is either on, in, or under the water,” Rettinger said.
Rettinger was left paralyzed nearly a decade ago by an autoimmune condition. Since moving to Florida, he has pursued activities including skydiving, hunting, and fishing. He has also won gold medals in The Wheelchair Games.
When asked if he is more active now than before his paralysis, Rettinger replied, “People look at me strange. It’s like I’m having a better life now in the chair. Medically, I’m not. But activity-wise, then I ever did.”
Lines of Liberty is raising funds to purchase a modified pontoon boat designed to accommodate wheelchair users.
“We have two boat captains who volunteer their time and boats to help us with wheelchair users, but they are also full-time charter captains, so it’s hard to book them consistently,” Stevens said. “We’ve had to turn away wheelchair veterans. If we can make this mission happen, we’ll never turn somebody down again, no matter what.”
The organization is halfway to its $30,000 goal to buy the new boat.
For more information, go to https://www.linesofliberty.org/
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