89-year-old Sioux Falls disabled veteran surfs for the first time

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — An 89-year-old Korean War Veteran from Sioux Falls got the experience of a lifetime; something he had never done before or even thought he could.

It’s all thanks to the VA Summer Sports Clinic.

It was a heroes welcome when Lester Lunden of Sioux Falls arrived in San Diego for the VA National Sports Clinic.

Lunden is an Army Veteran who served from 1954-1956 as an Engineer.

He lost his leg in a farming accident right after he came home from the Army.

“Of course I was helping dad put up silage got caught in the machinery,” Lunden said.

Decades later, Lunden is now getting a chance to go surfing, something he never thought possible; especially after losing his leg.

“No I never thought I’d ever get to surf, my notion of surfing is watching it on tv and you see those waves rolling over and you think I’ll never do that,” Lunden said.

But with the help of the staff of the VA National Sports Clinic, Lunden got on a surfboard on his stomach and hit the waves.

“Seemed like I just took off, man oh man I was really going,” Lunden said.

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Lunden says it was the thrill of a lifetime. He says he wasn’t thinking about anything else; not even his disability.

“No I wasn’t, I was thinking about how much fun this is and I’m just sailing along and water is just giving me a push,” Lunden said.

Lunden has this advice to other disabled vets.

“I would say just let yourself go, give it a try,” Lunden said.

No matter how old or young you are.

“I am 89, but today I don’t feel like I am 89,” Lunden said.

Lunden says he first learned of the sports clinic through the Sioux Falls VA.