Tonight I cried over a boat!
This morning I got a text from my son that all mothers dread... He had been in a car accident on his way to fish his first collegiate tournament. It was supposed to be an exciting day that began a new chapter in his fishing career. It will be one that we never forget, but not because he brought in a limit or even just enjoyed his first time in competition at the next level. The Dreher Island Park, where he was to launch was only about five minutes from the crash site. My son was approaching a bridge when another truck crossed the center line striking his truck and totaling our boat. Not only did the driver hit his truck and boat, they turned around, drove back by, almost running him over in the process, and fled the scene. My son is lucky to be alive. A few seconds earlier, the two vehicles would have been on the bridge and my son would not have been able to move out of the way like he did on the road.
My son survived the crash with minor bruising, but left with a diminished faith in humanity because the person responsible left the scene. He saw the good in all of the other college anglers who helped calm him after the incident, strangers passing by and eventually the great tow truck drivers, but I know that inside he is heartbroken, as am I. heartbroken that the boat we have worked so hard to have and upkeep is no longer usable. Heartbroken that his college fishing is on hold for now until we can afford another boat.
A bit of background information:
David, my son, began fishing competitively his 7th grade year, when the middle schools and high schools had just began to have tournaments. That year the team relied on volunteers and even fished some local ponds out of john boats. The next year, there were few volunteers and we knew that if we wanted David to fish that we would need to purchase our own boat. This was a stretch financially for us but there was no question in my mind that we needed to do this for him. You see, I saw a passion and fire in David when he fished. This was no fleeting thing for him. He was always talking about fishing, even in his sleep. His 8th grade year we purchased our green & gold flake Pro Craft boat. David fished out of that boat his entire time in high school. Every time he went out in the boat, he got better and learned new skills. His dad was usually his captain but when he couldn't go to tournaments I would step in. You don't see many moms as boat captains, but I was not about to let my son miss out on his passion. I learned how to drive the boat, read the electronics, and even give some advice from time to time. Fishing in middle and high school was not just teaching my son how to catch fish. He was learning skills such as: collaboration, map reading, biology, ecology, patience, money management, time management, safety, mechanics, and so much more! Not only did fishing provide these beneficial skills, being on the team gave him the motivation he needed to make good grades in school. Our rule was that if he wasn't passing his classes that he couldn't fish tourneys.
Because David was so passionate about his fishing, we would schedule our family vacations around his regional tournaments or take summer vacations on a lake that he had not fished before. We always took that boat with us!
David advanced in his tournament trail each year he fished and eventually earned his team's A.O.Y. status his senior year of high school.
I was so glad to be a part of his team. I cheered him on from the sidelines and when I was in the boat. I learned a lot about my son and his fishing partners while they were on the water and enjoyed every moment of it!
So, last night I cried over a boat! I did not cry because the boat is no longer "seaworthy." I cried because we have shared so many memories in that boat. I cried because we can get another boat, but it just won't be the same.
This morning I got a text from my son that all mothers dread... He had been in a car accident on his way to fish his first collegiate tournament. It was supposed to be an exciting day that began a new chapter in his fishing career. It will be one that we never forget, but not because he brought in a limit or even just enjoyed his first time in competition at the next level. The Dreher Island Park, where he was to launch was only about five minutes from the crash site. My son was approaching a bridge when another truck crossed the center line striking his truck and totaling our boat. Not only did the driver hit his truck and boat, they turned around, drove back by, almost running him over in the process, and fled the scene. My son is lucky to be alive. A few seconds earlier, the two vehicles would have been on the bridge and my son would not have been able to move out of the way like he did on the road.
My son survived the crash with minor bruising, but left with a diminished faith in humanity because the person responsible left the scene. He saw the good in all of the other college anglers who helped calm him after the incident, strangers passing by and eventually the great tow truck drivers, but I know that inside he is heartbroken, as am I. heartbroken that the boat we have worked so hard to have and upkeep is no longer usable. Heartbroken that his college fishing is on hold for now until we can afford another boat.
A bit of background information:
David, my son, began fishing competitively his 7th grade year, when the middle schools and high schools had just began to have tournaments. That year the team relied on volunteers and even fished some local ponds out of john boats. The next year, there were few volunteers and we knew that if we wanted David to fish that we would need to purchase our own boat. This was a stretch financially for us but there was no question in my mind that we needed to do this for him. You see, I saw a passion and fire in David when he fished. This was no fleeting thing for him. He was always talking about fishing, even in his sleep. His 8th grade year we purchased our green & gold flake Pro Craft boat. David fished out of that boat his entire time in high school. Every time he went out in the boat, he got better and learned new skills. His dad was usually his captain but when he couldn't go to tournaments I would step in. You don't see many moms as boat captains, but I was not about to let my son miss out on his passion. I learned how to drive the boat, read the electronics, and even give some advice from time to time. Fishing in middle and high school was not just teaching my son how to catch fish. He was learning skills such as: collaboration, map reading, biology, ecology, patience, money management, time management, safety, mechanics, and so much more! Not only did fishing provide these beneficial skills, being on the team gave him the motivation he needed to make good grades in school. Our rule was that if he wasn't passing his classes that he couldn't fish tourneys.
Because David was so passionate about his fishing, we would schedule our family vacations around his regional tournaments or take summer vacations on a lake that he had not fished before. We always took that boat with us!
David advanced in his tournament trail each year he fished and eventually earned his team's A.O.Y. status his senior year of high school.
I was so glad to be a part of his team. I cheered him on from the sidelines and when I was in the boat. I learned a lot about my son and his fishing partners while they were on the water and enjoyed every moment of it!
So, last night I cried over a boat! I did not cry because the boat is no longer "seaworthy." I cried because we have shared so many memories in that boat. I cried because we can get another boat, but it just won't be the same.
Comments
Post a Comment