Transcript of “Inspirational Video: Turning Disappointment into Joy: SURFice Dog Ricochet”

The video cuts back and forth between white text on a black screen, narrating the film, with video clips of the action described. Throughout, a song plays in the background. There is no audible dialogue.

TEXT: From Service Dog to SURFice Dog: Turning Disappointment into a Joyful New Direction

Piano instrumental background music. Song is Taylor Hicks, “Do I Make You Proud.” Lyrics at the bottom of this page.

TEXT: Ricochet was born into the “Puppy Prodigies Neo-Natal & Early Learning Program” with the intention of becoming a service dog for a person with a disability.

LYRICS begin.

TEXT: Her training began the moment she was born!

A newborn golden retriever, her eyes still shut, is led by milk-covered fingers over various small obstacles — a plastic tray, through a cardboard tunnel, across soft carpet, stroked and assisted along the way.

TEXT: She quickly progressed with her service dog training.

A three- or four-month-old puppy, tail wagging the whole time, pulls open a cupboard, pulls open a refrigerator door, and turns on a light switch on the wall, then sits for a treat from her trainer, a slender, white woman with light brown hair. The puppy retrieves an obedience dumbbell; pulls a tissue from a box and carries it to her handler; drags a plastic laundry basket from in front of a dryer; does “paws up” on a short plastic table to take a brown paper lunch bag, then carries it around and gives it to her handler; and uses a pull-line to unzip her handler’s sweatshirt.

TEXT: She was truly a puppy prodigy!

TEXT:  But . . .

TEXT:  As she grew, so did her instinct for chasing birds.

A long-distance shot of the golden, now adult, running through a field of grass and yellow flowers at the beach. She runs full-out for seven seconds before the clip ends.

TEXT: Which could be a risk to a person with a disability.

TEXT: I tried for months to “make” her something she wasn’t.

TEXT: But, finally had to release her from the program.

The dog, wearing a hot-pink t-shirt, runs on the sand.

TEXT:  I was very disappointed.

TEXT: But rather than focus on what she couldn’t do

TEXT: I focused on what she COULD do…

TEXT: Which was surfing.

The puppy, at about four-months old, balances with great effort on a small surf board in a kitty pool next to a driveway. The handler holds out food to lure her around with food.

TEXT: So, she became a SURFice dog, and started fundraising for charitable causes.

A still photo of the adult golden wears a bright orange-pink shirt that says “Rip Curl Ricki” on the chest. Around her neck, instead of a collar, is a very large ruffle of yellow and orange fake flowers. She is sitting on a blue surf board.

Cut to Ricki on a surf board in the ocean, with swarms of people watching, including at least three professional photographers (large, telephoto lenses) taking film. Ricki is wearing a bright orange life vest and manages to stay extremely well-balanced on the board as it floats past the throngs of people in the water and on shore cheering.

TEXT: Her first fundraiser was for 15 year old, quadriplegic surfer, Patrick Ivison.

Footage from a TV news segment that says “Patrick and Ricochet Ride the Waves,” shows a young man with a blond crewcut, wearing a white T-shirt and carrying a black bag of gear in his lap being pushed in a beach wheelchair (the kind that has huge, balloon-like tires) being pushed by another young person in black T-shirt and shorts. Ricki comes running over in her hot-pink shirt to say hi and then runs off again.

The next shot is another news clip, from an NBC station, which says, “Breaking Boundaries, Catching Waves” at the bottom. It shows Ricki on her board and Patrick on his, gliding in towards shore, side-by-side.

TEXT: She surfed tandem with Patrick as part of her fundraising activities.

Another news clip. This time Ricki is standing on the rear of Patrick’s board, balancing on either side of his legs.

TEXT: She was a different dog when she surfed with Patrick.

TEXT: Totally joyful, and 100% committed to her new direction.

TEXT: Counter-balancing the board to keep Patrick from falling off.

TEXT: And if he did fall off, she was right there, by his side.

Several more news clips of Ricki riding with Patrick on his board. Patrick seems to be enjoying himself, although it’s hard to tell because of the amount of water obscuring his the shot. Ricki largely holds very still, sometimes looking to the left or right. I can’t tell if she’s enjoying herself or not. A couple of times there are “wipeouts,” but the clip ends before showing how Ricki and Patrick deal with them, and whether she provides any assistance or not.

TEXT: When I let go of who I wanted her to be, and just let her “be”

TEXT: She completely flourished, and I reveled in knowing she’s perfect just the way she is!

Ricki leaves Patrick in the shallows and runs joyously, her tail wagging, to her trainer/handler who is wading in to shore.

TEXT: Ricochet raised over $10,000 for Patrick & 3 years of his physical therapy will be covered by a grant from her sponsor, WebMD Health Foundation!

Patrick sits next to Ricki in front of a brick wall. He’s wearing street clothes and smiling, maybe a little self-consciously, with his hand on Ricki’s back as she sits next to him. A huge check (several feet long) is propped against Patrick’s legs. It’s made out to “Help Patrick Walk,” in the amount of $10,000.00, and on the signature line, it is signed, “Ricochet.”

TEXT: The funds raised will allow amazing things to continue happening!

The scene changes with a star-fade on Patrick hunched over a device that he is gripping with his arms and hands, that supports him and has wheels on the bottom, while a woman walks backwards in front of him, helping him to move his legs. A man standing behind pushes Patrick’s chair along behind him. Patrick’s face is screwed up with effort.

A couple dozen people, and one or more dogs, are in the small PT gym, watching, clapping, taking pictures (flash bulbs go off), and wiping tears off their faces. Everyone but Patrick and the two assistants are cordoned off, sitting on either side of the “walkway,” behind red velvet ropes of the type used at motels, banks, or red-carpet events.

Cut to a still of Ricochet with wet fur in her life vest, sitting next to her handler/trainer in a black wet suit, who is hugging and kissing the dog.

Above them flashes the words, “You make me more than proud!”

TEXT: Ricochet is still making a difference in people’s lives, & inspiring them to realize… anything is possible! surfdogricochet.com

Song Lyrics:

I’ve never been
the one to raise my hand.
That was not me,
and now that’s who I am.
Because of you,
I am standing tall.

My heart is full
of endless gratitude.
You were the one,
the one to guide me through.
Now I can see,
and I believe,
it’s only just beginning.

This is what we dream about.
But the only question with me now,
is do I make you proud?
Stronger than I’ve ever been now,
never be afraid of standing out,

but do I make you proud?
I guess I’ve learned
to question is to grow.
That you still have faith
is all I need to know.
I’ve learned to love
myself in spit of me.
And I’ve learned to walk
the road that I believe.

This is what we dream about.
But the only question with me now,
is do I make you proud?
Stronger than I’ve ever been now,
is do I make you proud?
Stronger than I’ve ever been now,
never be afraid of standing out,
but do I make you proud?

I guess I’ve learned
to question is to grow.
That you still have faith
is all I need to know.
I’ve learned to love
myself in spit of me.
And I’ve learned to walk
the road that I believe.

This is what we dream about
but the only question with me now
is do I make you proud?
Stronger than I’ve ever been now,
never be afraid of standing out,
but do I make you proud?

Everybody needs
to rise up.
Everybody needs
to be loved
to be loved.

This is what we dream about
but the only question with me now
is do I make you
do I make you
proud?

This is what we dream about
but the only question with me now–
but the only question–
Is do I make you proud?
Is do I make you proud?
Stronger than I’ve ever been now–
Stronger than I’ve ever been–
never be afraid of standing out
never be afraid oh, oh oh oh….

This is what we dream about–
This is what we dream about–
but the only question with me now–
but the only question–
is do I make you proud?
Is do I?
Do I?

Stronger than I’ve ever been now–
Stronger than I’ve ever been–
Never be afraid of standing out,
do I make you proud?
Do I make you proud?
Do I make you proud?
Do I?

This is what we dream about
but the only question with me now
is do I make you–
do I make you proud?