Tragic Event

[StoneAge]

January 6'th, 2011 was a tragic day at our Marina.

It is about helping a widow get over her loss and whatever else she has to to get on with her life.

Here is what happened.. YouTube - Ladysmith Marine Boat Storage Fire Jan 6 2011
To give you an idea of where we were: 20 seconds into the video you see two reflective rectangles to the right of the blaze when the cameraman zooms in. Our boat was right in front of that. I was the one who called 911. It was 60 feet from our boat. Our home.

Jean-Luc and Karen came to our Marina on Sunday the 2'nd of January after selling their home and finding just the right boat to set sail on their dream trip around the world. They were very excited when we first met them.. Right after they tied up. Over the course of the week as every one here knows, we got to know them a bit and were beoming friends. Then the fire. Karen was getting their boat prepped to get out of the marina as were we.. Then panic struck her and she said Jean-Luc was not well. I ran over and all of a sudden the boat wasn't important anymore. My wife, Lucy was right behind me and with the help of another sailor we got him onto the dock and Lucy started CPR until the medics got there. He died in the hospital.

CHEK TV Click on Fatal marina Fire.

Karen now has to deal with not only her Husband's sudden death, but everything else that goes along with it and it's not the time for her to even have to think about money. This is where I hope Sailnet can really show what the sailing community is all about.

I don't have any idea of where she is financially, but at this point in time it souldn't matter.

If any member is capable of offering any financial assistance for her, Please contact me. I am setting up addresses for donations via Paypal, Alertpay, Interac (in Canada) and any other means I can to send any donations to for Karen to re-build her now shattered life.

Thank you to all who read this and if you cannot help with a donation, you CAN help with a thought or prayer for her and her future. All she has now is the boat.

John Willms
S/V Stone Age
Ladysmith, BC.


And if you aren't able to help financially, please say a prayer for Karen. That will be as appreciated.

She's got a really tough road ahead of her.

You guys are the greatest. Thank you.
PB.
S/V Stone Age.
Ladysmith, BC.

[sailor50]

This is indeed a tragic event.

I'm surprised that nobody has responded yet, but many have read your post.
I will say prayers for comfort to all of you, your families, and wish you well through the upcoming days. Fire scares the heck out of me on land or a boat.