Jeff chats to… Jim Elliott and Tinamarie Hernandez of Diveheart (Watch Video)
In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Jim Elliott, Founder and President of Diveheart, and Tinamarie Hernandez, Executive Director, about the new documentary ‘Adapting to Dive’ by David Marsh.
Diveheart, a Downers Grove-based nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, and Los Angeles filmmaker David Marsh will be presenting the world premiere of the documentary called “Adapting To Dive” at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at Classic Cinemas Tivoli Theatre, 5021 Highland Ave. in Downers Grove.
Since 2001, Diveheart has been helping youth, veterans, and others with disabilities through adaptive scuba and scuba therapy. Last year, Marsh went on a life-changing Diveheart scuba adventure trip to Cozumel, Mexico. As a result, he experienced a transformational journey while doing the film after losing his son to an overdose just seven days before the trip.
After doing some pre-trip research, Marsh felt he understood the spirit of the Diveheart mission and vision. He had completed backstories on many of the adaptive divers who went on the trip when his son passed. He chose to go on the trip and said nothing to anyone until asked about his experience on the very last day. He then shared his loss and that he had been remotely planning his son’s funeral while filming the documentary.
“David Marsh is amazing and awesome. Despite his loss and grief, he soldiered on and captured the spirit, love, and hope that emerges from every Diveheart trip,” said Diveheart Founder and President Jim Elliott. “He really captured the essence of our mission and shared the real-life experience of what Diveheart does to help those with disabilities experience freedom underwater.”
In the documentary, every day embraces a theme. One day it is trust. Another day it is about freedom and then finally adapting. Audiences will see how Marsh emphatically listened and translated the feelings of the adaptive divers who shared with him their losses, struggles, fears, and hopes.
“We are so grateful to David for capturing Diveheart in action,” Elliott said. “I’m hoping this documentary will reach many people and give awareness to Diveheart’s mission: to revolutionize rehabilitation by using zero gravity underwater to help those with everything from mobility issues to chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. We help our participants find that self-confidence, personal strength, and independence, and we will continue to do so in the years to come.”
Watch the trailer of the documentary here:
Tickets to the premiere are $12 for general admission and accessible seating. For information about the documentary and tickets, visit this link.
Jim Elliott left a successful career in the media business to launch Diveheart. The not-for-profit organization seeks to instill the can-do spirit in its participants. Diveheart doesn’t discriminate when it comes to working with people with disabilities and serves cognitively and physically impaired individuals worldwide.
Since 2001 Elliott, who is a volunteer with no salary, has initiated Scuba Therapy research with university medical centers around the country, including the first study on Autism and Scuba Therapy and the world’s most innovative Adaptive Scuba Training program for instructors, dive buddies and Adaptive Divers. He also lectures and trains dive professionals in the “Business of Adaptive Scuba”.
Tinamarie Hernandez grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. She’s always had a love of learning and was the first in her family to attend and graduate college. She has always found a way to give back, be it through candy striping, coaching softball, teaching swim lessons to people with disabilities or teaching Sunday school. When asked what drew her to Diveheart, Tinamarie responded: “I grew up with a cousin who lived his life with both physical and cognitive challenges. Joey didn’t let much hold him back and I just know he would have loved scuba, had he known about Diveheart.”
Find out more at www.Diveheart.org.
Rather listen to a podcast? Listen to the audio HERE on the Scubaverse podcast channel at Anchor FM.
