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View Full Version : the loss of two friends.


jim c.
06-30-2000, 02:25 PM
I have a friend named Mike , his father is named Dudley. They grew up fishing together on the wisconsin river. On april 1st , 2000 they were taken from us. Mike was in his 40s his father in his 70s. I am writting this for reasons not totally clear to me. I am crying as I write.The only way for me to describe the two of them to you is to show you what I wrote to say about them at the funeral.
Saturday april 1st , 2000 was a beautiful day for fishing. The skies were bright and sunny. The sunset on the water was spectacular. Mike and Dudley would not have changed this day for anything. This is what they loved to do and allways did it together. Mike and Dudley were virtually inseperable when it came to hunting and fishing. Whenever I would call Mike to go fishing I knew I had to have room for his father,thats the way it was.Being a father of two boys myself the relationship that Mike and Dudley shared will forever impact my life.Mike and Dudley were taken from us at the right time,in the right place and in the most perfect of ways possible. For one to pass before the other just wasn't meant to be. So when we ask "why" , just reflect back to that bright sunny day when two of the closest of friends shared a great day of fishing. That is the memory that we will allways treasure. We will deeply miss them both. The end.
I wrote this for them.I am still having a very rough time dealing with this.They drowned in 8 feet of water when they were thrown from the boat after hitting a stump. It took 24 days for Dudley to surface , 27 days for Mike. For family and friends sake , please wear your life vests. I would have meant so much for us to be able to recover the bodies sooner. I run a 1775 pro v , never again without a vest ON.. These guys knew every stump in that river. They were in a 14 ft. jon boat , going about 15 mph. Please think about your family next time you go on the water. I have only been back on the water one time since the bodies were found. I am lost.....thanks for reading this. jim "walleye bucket"campbell.

Nofish
06-30-2000, 03:47 PM
Hey Jim,

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mike and Dudley's family. And out to you too. Hang in there.

Only God knows why.........R

EAGLE EYES
06-30-2000, 04:22 PM
Sorry to hear of this Jim. I know I should where my lifevest more often. I hope it doesn't take something like this to convience me into wearing it all the time. You've got my prayers! Take care.

smiley
06-30-2000, 04:33 PM
As I sat there reading that and crying I thought of my Dad and brothers and my husband out fishing right now. I am saying a mental prayer for them and one for you. People will tell you that it will get easier. It may not feel like it is but time will move on. Other fishing trips will come and go and they will still be in your memory. When you feel sad give your boys a hug and tell them how much you love them. I will think of you often and I hope your heart heals soon. Take care of yourself.

God bless

Lisa

brdklr
06-30-2000, 09:44 PM
Don't really know what to say, but your story touched me deeply. I am leaving for Canada next week and for my two girls sake my vest will be on. I lost my best bird hunting buddy almost two years ago. It is different in the woods now but rest assured they will be with you every cast, my buddy seems to lead me to the best coveys, and make the best shots.

take it easy, and go fishing, they will be with you.

Juls_WI
07-02-2000, 06:36 PM
Thanks for your post...

I was just asking about these two men the other day, because I had not heard if they had ever been found. I'm glad they were.

I was on Green Bay today and thought of them again, and it urged me to put my vest on, at a time when I probably usually wouldn't have.

Thanks for the reminder of how fragile life is.
My thoughts go out to you and their families.

Take care,

Juls

Hump
07-03-2000, 09:31 AM
Thanks for the message. I'm sorry about your friends.

slab
07-03-2000, 01:34 PM
i read this and thought of just yesterday i was on the missisippi with my 5 year old son and my fishing buddy and the only one with a vest was my son.Your post made me realize how scared he would have been had we hit something and he would be the only one floating. That will never happen again thanks and i hope your hurting softens God Bless

Tommy Mac
07-03-2000, 02:19 PM
Jim,

My thoughts and prayers are with you and the families involved. God Bless You.

I know how difficult a time like this is. I have been there, and know first hand. I know for me there was no doubt, I had to get out fishing soon. I spent a day fishing alone in deep prayer and thought. It seemed to help, some. Your friends will be with you, time will heal, and so will doing the things that you would normally do.

Tom

Michigander
07-04-2000, 06:18 AM
NICE REPLIES - Every one of them / Heavens Gain, ><> ~~~~ everything moves forward, don't be lost - look up ><> all powers engaged.

Chaz
07-04-2000, 07:17 AM
As long as you remenber them, they will not be gone.