Alumna surfs with the disabled

Susan Beury graduated from NC State in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering. More than eight years ago, she began working with disabled veterans in Hawaii. Her love of surfing made instructing the veterans the perfect job for her.

Beury has always been athletic. While earning her undergraduate degree here at NC State, she was active on many intermural sports teams as well as the fencing team.

After graduation, she lived and worked in the Raleigh area for a few years. In 1990, Beury was living and working in New York City when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed, an act which prohibited discrimination based on disability.

She wanted to get into the field of rehabilitation engineering, so Beury attended a conference in Washington D.C. for a group called the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology of North America.

“At that conference, I met a man from the state of Hawaii whose company was recruiting for an Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator position,” Beury said.

So later that same year, after being accepted for the ADA coordinator position, Beury purchased a one-way ticket to Hawaii.

Beury was born in northern New Jersey and had never been west of Chicago when she made the leap for her new job. She loves just about everything about Hawaii.

“I’m a straight east coast girl,” Beury said. “I do miss the seasons, but most especially fall.”

She had been in Hawaii four years when she met and married her Army husband, John. The couple hopscotched across the United States for several years, living outside of Richmond and even moving back to North Carolina twice, before living in Honduras.

First, in Clinton, North Carolina, Beury worked at Alcatel, as an electronics manufacturer. After that, she worked for North Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Services as a rehabilitation engineer.

In 2005, Beury, her husband, and her young daughter decided to move back to the small community of Oahu Island in Hawaii.

Beury works as a procurement analyst for the U.S. Army’s 516th Signal Brigade.

Hawaii is where Beury took her first surfing lesson, bought for her by her husband. She was hooked the same day and bought her very own surfboard shortly afterwards.

Beury decided to get involved with AccesSurf, a nonprofit organization that teaches children and adults with disabilities how to surf. She volunteered as an instructor.

“I had always seen these yellow tents on the beach,” Beury said. “One day, I finally decided to check them out and I’m so glad I did.”

Beury’s work with the Wounded Warrior Project came later. This November is the organization’s 13th anniversary. The project provides programs and services for injured veterans and their loved ones.

“Both AccesSurf and the Wounded Warrior Project are a great way to interact with veterans who have served,” said Anthony Chaanine, a sophomore at NC State studying technology, engineering and design education. “They are a great way to give back to those who may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, or any bodily injury really. Having these programs is a great way to bring veterans back up, physically, mentally and spiritually.”

Beury was diagnosed with uterine cancer in January of 2015. Within 10 days of her diagnosis, she underwent surgery. Later that year, during the months of March and April, she underwent pelvic radiation and later chemotherapy.

Her strong spirit and persevering humor is shown through her attitude towards her cancer treatments.

“Chemo was easy,” Beury said. “I got to wear fabulous silk scarves; I even bought myself a designer Emilio Pucci scarf.”

Cancer didn’t stop Beury from her surfing hobby and volunteering with the veterans.

“I love being able to bring a slice of normality to the veterans,” Beury said. “To live in Hawaii and not be able to get to the beach is an absolute shame.”