Six years ago, Anna Taylor wasn’t thinking about medals or championships. She was thinking about how to survive. A life-altering illness left her without most of her fingers, one foot, and half of the other. Today, she’s carving waves across the U.S. in one of the most physically demanding adaptive sports: wake surfing.

At the 2025 Wakeboard and Wake Surf National Championship in Grand Junction, Colorado, Taylor stood shoulder to shoulder with nearly 400 athletes from around the world—each with a story, each with a reason for being there. For Taylor, that reason has always been about healing.

From hospital bed to surfboard

Ten years ago, Anna Taylor was living a healthy, active life with her husband, John Jamieson. Then everything changed. A sudden and severe illness—whose details she rarely discusses publicly—stripped her of mobility and independence.

Taylor lost most of her fingers, her entire right foot, and half of her left. For someone who thrived on movement, it was crushing. “It was a really dark time for me,” she said quietly during a break between heats at the championship event.

The physical trauma was only part of it. The psychological fallout nearly consumed her. “You lose more than limbs,” she explained. “You lose your sense of self. Your confidence. The life you thought you’d have.”

One wave at a time

John Jamieson, her husband of 12 years, never gave up on her. But they both admit—it wasn’t easy.

“There was a lot of healing we had to go through,” Jamieson said, watching from the shore, eyes fixed on Anna balancing deftly behind the boat. “Wake surfing… it brought something back. Not just for her, but for both of us.”

It started small. They tried wake surfing together on calm waters with an adaptive board, just to see if she could balance. Turns out, she could.

Then came coaching. Then came the competitions.

Now, she’s surfing across the country.

Why adaptive wake surfing matters

Adaptive wake surfing is more than just a sport—it’s an evolving outlet for people with physical challenges to reclaim their agency. Unlike other adaptive sports, it’s relatively new on the competitive scene, especially in the U.S.

In 2025, the Adaptive Division at the Wakeboard and Wake Surf National Championship featured over 30 athletes with varying disabilities. Anna Taylor isn’t the only one rewriting their story on the water—but her story has resonated far beyond the lake.

Here’s why people say the sport is catching on:

• Accessibility: New board designs allow easier balance and control

• Community: Many adaptive surfers report a tight-knit, supportive network

• Therapeutic benefits: Both physical rehabilitation and mental resilience improve through regular surfing

And in Anna’s case, it’s also about showing others what’s possible.

Numbers tell their own story

Adaptive sports in general are growing fast in the U.S., thanks to increased funding, awareness, and media coverage. According to the Disabled Sports USA 2024 Participation Report:

Wake surfing has shown one of the largest growth rates—and it’s one of the few adaptive sports where female participation is nearing parity with men.

Love, loss, and adrenaline

Taylor’s path wasn’t a straight line.

There were setbacks—lots of them. “There were times she wanted to quit,” Jamieson admitted. “Injury flare-ups. Gear malfunctions. Self-doubt. Days she couldn’t even get on the board.”

But she didn’t quit. Even when the water felt cold and unwelcoming. Even when people stared. Even when her body ached.

“It’s not just about competing,” Anna said after placing second in her division last weekend. “It’s about showing up for yourself. Showing up for the version of you that thought everything was over.”

There was a pause.

“And winning feels pretty damn good too.”

The unspoken side of recovery

What Taylor rarely brings up, but everyone around her knows, is how hard the emotional recovery has been.

Disability doesn’t just impact the individual—it reshapes marriages, friendships, and daily life. For Anna and John, wake surfing became more than a shared hobby. It became the glue holding their healing process together.

“She got back a piece of her joy out there,” John said, eyes a little misty. “That spark—man, I hadn’t seen it in years.”

They now train together, often traveling for events in Texas, Florida, and California. Sometimes she coaches younger athletes just starting out.

“She doesn’t see herself as a hero,” said event organizer Casey Mitchell. “But people look up to her. Because she’s living proof that you can fall apart and still come back stronger.”

What’s next for Anna Taylor?

Taylor says she has no plans to stop. She’s already set her sights on the Adaptive World Wake Surfing Championship in North Carolina this fall. Beyond that, she hopes to help start an adaptive surfing clinic in Colorado.

“If even one person thinks, ‘If she can do it, maybe I can too,’ then it’s all worth it,” she said.

And then she laughed—deep, honest, and free.

“Besides,” she added, “I’m not done yet. Not even close.”