Ricochet and Savannah: surf's up | Photo: Gilda Adler

Two teenage sisters with the same terminal illness have hit the surf with surf dog Ricochet in San Diego.

Savannah (17) and Bellamy Arterburn (19) suffer from Friedreich's Ataxia, a rare, debilitating, and degenerative neuro-muscular disorder that causes movement problems and has no treatment or cure.

Despite undergoing multiple spine surgeries, both sisters are losing the ability to move.

Life is not easy; their mother died of breast cancer, but Savannah and Bellamy want to keep enjoying the world.

Ricochet and the Ricochet team: warming up for the waves | Photo: Gilda Adler

When they discovered Ricochet, the Surfice Dog, they immediately started dreaming of riding waves with her.

The trip to Sand Diego was funded in 24 hours. The girls would meet their canine surf instructor.

Savannah and Bellamy took turns. They have no body strength or muscle control, so Ricochet rode behind them to counterbalance the surfboard.

And it was so much fun.

"I've always wanted to surf, and then I found out about Ricochet, and it made it more special. It just felt so good, like I was free. Even though I'm sick and dying, I don't let it stop me from living my life", expressed Bellamy.

Savannah also loved it.

"That was so cool. It was actually really exciting." Once again, Ricochet and the healing power of the ocean and the waves changed the lives of two incredible human beings.

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