On September 19th, 2026, I will be paddling 30 Miles from Catalina to Newport Beach in honor of Ben Carlson.
The Ben Carlson Memorial & Scholarship Foundation was formed in the wake of Newport Beach Lifeguard Ben Carlson’s final rescue that claimed his life on July 6, 2014. Taking into consideration the things that truly mattered to Ben, your support will enable the BCMSF to have a long lasting impact in the local community and around the world.
At first I wanted to endure this paddle to test my physical limit and push myself in a way I never have before. This idea changed when I realized the impact that the Ben Carlson Foundation reflects onto the community of lifeguards around the world. They support many under resourced lifeguard agencies worldwide by providing life saving equipment and also by sharing best practices in lifeguarding. This is now my driving force during the toughest times of my training.
Donate whatever you feel comfortable donating to help me reach my goal to paddle across the Catalina Channel!