Saying Goodbye - Setting Him Free.
Last Sunday was my son's birthday. He would have been 21. His name is Joel A. Thorn. We spent many hours on our boat, the "Reel Skinny", fishing the South Shore and other areas in and around Tampabay. We made many friends on the water including many local guides. We were on the water so much sometimes they would call us for fishing reports. Joel was taught to flyfish by Capt. Fred Kremer and Steve (Soboloman) when he was nearly 16. On May 15, 2009, Heaven gained an Angel and the world lost one. I brought him home in a cardboard box a few weeks later, wrapped him up in his favorite D.O.A. fishing shirt and put him high up on a shelf in the closet. Some of his ashes are in an urn next to his picture in the dining room where we have dinner together every night. It has been bothering us that he is in that box in the closet. So for his birthday last Sunday we thought we'd set him free. We each plunged our bare hands into the box and sprinkled him at the mouth of the Little Manatee River where we spent so much time fishing this time of year. This picture is his brother Brandon wearing Joel's hat.
His mother didn't want her tears photographed. Clinched fist, she didn't want to let go. We each took turns and lingered as long as we wanted.
We stood there and said goodbye in the sunset as I imagined the trout and redfish allowing the smaller fish to scoop Joel up and pass through them unharmed as the big fish stood back and watched the smaller fish school up and form Joel's likeness and ever-present smile to swim him out to sea and be free.
The wind picked up as we headed back to Cockroach Bay and I noticed how much Brandon is looking like Joel now. We headed into the wind and I remembered how much Joel liked to say so defiantly as he smiled and pumped his chest, "You face into the wind. You face that storm and you say, Come on Wind, Come on Storm, Let's Get It On!"
A single red rose given to his mother by Brandon.
Placed at the mouth of Cockroach Bay
Headed toward the open sea.
Our first trip on the boat. Joel and Brandon. My wonderful boys. My Heart. My Soul
Our last trip on the boat. I watched him grow into a man. Joel caught this trout in the Mosquito Lagoon on a fly he tied himself. The ultimate for him, tricking a fish to bite on something he created. This was the day after Christmas, the one and only time he got to use the line basket he unwrapped the day before.
My Angel. The pain stabs deep in my heart and rips through my soul.
The End. Joel Anthony Thorn, 18.
We had so much more to do together...
Last Sunday was my son's birthday. He would have been 21. His name is Joel A. Thorn. We spent many hours on our boat, the "Reel Skinny", fishing the South Shore and other areas in and around Tampabay. We made many friends on the water including many local guides. We were on the water so much sometimes they would call us for fishing reports. Joel was taught to flyfish by Capt. Fred Kremer and Steve (Soboloman) when he was nearly 16. On May 15, 2009, Heaven gained an Angel and the world lost one. I brought him home in a cardboard box a few weeks later, wrapped him up in his favorite D.O.A. fishing shirt and put him high up on a shelf in the closet. Some of his ashes are in an urn next to his picture in the dining room where we have dinner together every night. It has been bothering us that he is in that box in the closet. So for his birthday last Sunday we thought we'd set him free. We each plunged our bare hands into the box and sprinkled him at the mouth of the Little Manatee River where we spent so much time fishing this time of year. This picture is his brother Brandon wearing Joel's hat.
His mother didn't want her tears photographed. Clinched fist, she didn't want to let go. We each took turns and lingered as long as we wanted.
We stood there and said goodbye in the sunset as I imagined the trout and redfish allowing the smaller fish to scoop Joel up and pass through them unharmed as the big fish stood back and watched the smaller fish school up and form Joel's likeness and ever-present smile to swim him out to sea and be free.
The wind picked up as we headed back to Cockroach Bay and I noticed how much Brandon is looking like Joel now. We headed into the wind and I remembered how much Joel liked to say so defiantly as he smiled and pumped his chest, "You face into the wind. You face that storm and you say, Come on Wind, Come on Storm, Let's Get It On!"
A single red rose given to his mother by Brandon.
Placed at the mouth of Cockroach Bay
Headed toward the open sea.
Our first trip on the boat. Joel and Brandon. My wonderful boys. My Heart. My Soul
Our last trip on the boat. I watched him grow into a man. Joel caught this trout in the Mosquito Lagoon on a fly he tied himself. The ultimate for him, tricking a fish to bite on something he created. This was the day after Christmas, the one and only time he got to use the line basket he unwrapped the day before.
My Angel. The pain stabs deep in my heart and rips through my soul.
The End. Joel Anthony Thorn, 18.
We had so much more to do together...
