About OLWP
The Mission
Our mission is to harness the healing power of the ocean to help grieving families coping with the loss of a loved one who had a deep connection to the ocean or nature. We memorialize your loved ones by carefully etching their names onto surfboards that are hand-shaped locally and then carrying them out into the ocean to catch a symbolic one last wave as an active way to honor them in a place they loved.
The Story
After experiencing the devastating loss of his father and best friend, Dan Fischer turned to surfing to cope with his grief and heal through the transformative power of the ocean.
After one faithful salt water sessions on January 4, 2022, he decided to throw out an open invitation on social media to others who may be struggling with loss during covid's very isolating time. He invited them to share the stories and names of loved ones who they'd lost and promised to bring them back to the place that meant so much to them.
These special boards, now beacons of hope, ensure that every loved one's story is told in order to help the families find healing and community through the One Last Wave Project. What began as a simple gesture has turned into a global movement and supportive community that has been helping bring peace to families all around the world.
The Logo & Name
The OLWP brand is deeply rooted in surfing and "one last wave" is something you'll hear surfers shout eagerly in the water often. When you experience that euphoric thrill of riding the power of the ocean, it's a feeling you want to keep chasing, hence never wanting to come in from a session. As there is always one more wave to catch, there is always one more opportunity to honor our loved ones.
The vision for the logo was to combine the foundational imagery of surfing with a bright, uplifting, colorful palette of deep ocean blues and pink sunset skies to covey what it feels like to be out there during a magical sunset surfing session. However, the design needed to go beyond the typical corporate surf logo to encompass the profound sensitivity and individuality that comes along with grief. More so than any other feedback, families have shared how the project has brought peace and comfort to their lives and if you look closely you'll see the how the surfboard and the vertical line passing through it create a peace sign being held up by the cradling waves. And finally, the name etchings on the board, depicted by the black horizontal lines, represent loved ones as they wait to catch their one last wave.
We hope you'll appreciate the time and thought that goes into every aspect of the OLWP and look forward to sharing it all with you.