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To The Editor

To the Editor

 

Henry David Thoreau once stated that, "Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after". Sometimes we experience something in our lives that make statements like that ring a little truer.

 

Conrad is an 11 year old boy from Pennsylvania with an inoperable brain tumor. He comes from a very large family, eight brothers and sisters, and parents that work a small dairy farm. When given the opportunity by the " Make a Wish Foundation" to choose something he would like to see or do Conrad could have chosen a host of what many would think of as more exciting and fun opportunities. Maybe a trip to Disney, or Cape Kennedy, or a host of more exotic places in the world .Instead he chose visiting his Aunt Jodie in Mexico, N.Y. and going fishing.

 

I had the pleasure to take him and his extended family fishing for an afternoon. Here he was visiting the famous Salmon River area with its legendary salmon and trout fishing. Even though fishing the river in the summer can produce the opportunity to catch a summer run steelhead or Atlantic salmon we chose to simplify our outing by just fishing for pan fish and bass in the estuary of the river. No fancy and expensive fly or spin tackle necessary for this type of fishing. Some spinning and spin cast rods and reels, worms, a few jigs and lures was all that was needed. A few hours on the NYSDEC fishing platform at the Route Three Bridge at Port Ontario, some obliging bluegills, rockbass, and smallmouths, unbelievably good homemade chocolate chip cookies made by Conrad's grandma, thunderstorms that seemed to part the area while we were there, a herd of children aged 5 to 16 patiently waiting for a fish to bite with everyone of them including the youngest baiting their own hooks and taking the fish off themselves, and watching a mother walk up to her child and place a hand softly on his shoulder while he was fishing as if to say everything will be alright despite knowing in the deepest part of her soul that her son is extremely sick was enough to put a lump in the throat and make the eyes misty. It also made me realize more completely how true Thoreau's statement really is. Conrad and his family surely knew. I thank them for helping me understand.

 

Through the gracious help of Troy and Shelly Creasy we were able to also give Conrad and his family the opportunity to experience fishing for trout and salmon on a Lake Ontario Charter trip out of Oswego. Because the family was so large Troy gave two afternoons of charter trips so that everyone in the family had the opportunity to join Conrad fishing. The seas stayed fishable. Salmon were not biting in the area but brown trout were available and Conrad and his family were able to land some beauties. The "Make a Wish Foundation" sponsors and pays the costs of these trips but it should be noted that Troy [which I know he would not want me to publicize] donated the money back since this funding can be used so that another child may experience their wish to come true. With the state of the economy and the cost of gas this is not a small cost. But then again I believe Troy also knows "it's not really fish we are after".

 

I hope those of you out there that have the opportunity to participate in programs like "Make a Wish" will respond positively and participate. Taking a terminally ill child fishing is something that will make a permanent and positive impact on your life. It also reminds us to take some time and spend it with our own children and family. Life is good but sometimes it is short and fleeting.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Fran Verdoliva

 

 

Fran, the pleasure was all mine, Thank you.

 

Troy

 

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