Honolulu — Buddy Wiggins, a 32-year-old pool cleaner from Honolulu, turned a yearslong sports gambling addiction into something unexpected: approaching strangers on Waikiki Beach and offering them free surf lessons.
Wiggins says a moment of reckoning left him on his knees, ready for a different path. ‘I finally came to a point where I lost pretty much everything,’ he told CBS News. That low point, and what he describes as a voice urging him to act, became the start of the First Wave Project.
Twice a week, Wiggins and a couple of friends set up on the sand and invite people who have never surfed — often the most unlikely candidates — to try. They provide boards, instruction and encouragement at no charge.
The results have been more than a few rides. Students describe newfound confidence that carries beyond the water. ‘The energy they had made you feel like you could do exactly what he was saying,’ said Quest Douglass. Manny Fernandez added, ‘They gave me a confidence that I haven’t had since I was in my 30s.’
Wiggins sees that shift as the point of the project. When people discover they can do something they once thought impossible, it opens the door to asking what else they might try. So far the First Wave Project has helped roughly 100 people catch that first wave of inspiration.
Wiggins continues the lessons despite financial struggles, saying the act of giving restores him. The work is part personal recovery, part community service — a way to replace the pull of gambling with purpose and connection.
If you or someone you know is dealing with gambling problems, help is available. The National Problem Gambling Helpline provides free, confidential support 24/7. Call 1-800-GAMBLER to reach trained counselors for guidance, resources and treatment options.