ATAK Auction Benefitting my Son's Memorial Scholarship
 

"Of course," OEX Brent generously said when I asked if it would be okay to post about the brand new Wilderness Systems ATAK we're auctioning to benefit my son James' memorial Cal Poly Pomona scholarship fund. It's Wilderness Systems' latest and greatest full-featured fish hunter. It retails for nearly $1800, but the starting bid is $400 less. There's no other way to get one of these hotly anticipated models for such a discount. Check it out:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221740899046

The kayak fishing community has been incredibly kind and generous in the wake of my son James' untimely passing at just 18 years old. James saved five lives and gave two others the gift of sight through his organ and tissue donation.

This boat doubles down on the good deeds. Wilderness Systems - on their own, we didn't ask - offered it as a raffle prize for the memorial JAL sticker and fundraiser (another spontaneous effort, one that means so much to my family). The ATAK winner unselfishly chose to pay it forward.

I see this as a flatwater fishing kayak a lot like many other stand-up models. I've yet to see one outside a trade show floor. I figure it will be a freshwater bass-catching battleship. It should also get a lot of love on the Gulf Coast flats. It features the same Flex Pod OS as the Thresher and a lot of other tricks.

Thanks to all the help, we're getting close to funding the permanent, annual scholarship in memory of our dear son James.

THAT IS A GREAT LOOKING KAYAK FOR A GREAT CAUSE!!!

The lives James saved and changed has been a wonderful footnote to a tragic story.
I have been registered as a donor for years and have always told others that they should be also. I know that from sharing the Lebowitz's story with others that it has helped a few more people register to give the gift of life also.
The number of lives James saved directly is five. By spreading his story and the word on the importance of organ donation the number becomes countless.

Good luck and god bless to you and your family.

Thanks Mike, we see it the same way. Not only did James save five lives, he'll help as many as 55 more people who desperately need skin, arteries and other tissue. While we miss our James every second of every day, he was gone. He couldn't get any more use out of his body. But he could save lives, touching not only those he helped directly, but all of their friends and family.

I hope sharing his (too short) story will help save even more lives by inspiring others to register as organ and tissue donations. If anyone has any questions about the process, particularly how they treated our James (like a member of the medical staff's family, with the utmost of respect and dignity befitting a hero), ask me. Not too many donor families speak up. I'm glad to.

We're in the final hours for the ATAK auction, a gift twice over from Wilderness Systems and someone who put the cause of funding the James Lebowitz Memorial Cal Poly Scholarship ahead of his own interests. Such generosity!

The auction ends at 6 pm Pacific tonight. It's still nearly $400 below MSRP, a great deal for someone for such a hot new model. I'm grateful and thrilled that we're nearing our funding goal, months earlier than I expected or hoped to establish a permanent annual scholarship. ‪#‎Forever‬ I can't thank our friends enough. We're so close! If you're looking for a new bass battleship, bid now!