Healing on the water: How one veteran found peace through surfing and support

For Navy and Army veteran Leslie De La Serna, the toughest battles didn’t end in Afghanistan — they began when he got home. De La Serna served in Afghanistan and spent decades in the military. During deployment, he was injured by a mortar impact that left him with a traumatic brain injury. While his body eventually healed, the mental and emotional scars stayed with him.