In the latest episode of The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv, host Richard V. Acritelli sat down with Sean Duclay, co-founder of the veteran-support nonprofit SailAhead.org, and Angel Flores, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran whose life was changed by the program’s on-the-water missions.
Flores recalled hearing about SailAhead through his fellow Marine, John, a member of the tight-knit Marine Corps group known as the New York Savages. Expecting a small sailboat outing, Flores instead arrived at Cold Spring Harbor to find a massive 70-foot racing sloop—one of the classic vessels maintained through SailAhead’s partnership with the Sterling Harbor Foundation in Oyster Bay. “I walked up and said, ‘What did I just walk into?’” he laughed.
Despite having grown up on the water, Flores had never sailed before. Duclay put him to work immediately, hauling lines and learning the fundamentals of the sport. What unfolded, Flores said, was far more than an afternoon on the water. After losing his arm and struggling with isolation, he found the teamwork, alertness, and camaraderie he had been missing since his time in the Marines. “It felt like having a squad again,” he said. “That sail rebuilt my confidence in a way the VA program never did.”
Duclay explained that SailAhead’s mission has always been rooted in connection, trust, and shared challenge. Working with veterans during races and weekly outings, he said, builds a two-way camaraderie—sailors learning from veterans, and veterans rediscovering purpose through the intensity of sailing.
Both guests emphasized the need for consistent volunteers as the organization pushes toward its goal of taking 700 veterans onto the water next year. For Flores, the program’s impact is clear: “It’s one of the best things I’ve experienced. I tell people across the country about it. It changes lives.”
Acritelli closed the segment by praising both men for their dedication: “What you’re doing is positive, meaningful, and saving lives.” For more information, visit www.sailahead.org