Our condolences go out to yacht designer Bob Perry, who suddenly lost his 30-year-old son Spike to an infection on April 1st. Spike was a well known crew member with a strong passion for the sport. Bob posting on Sailing Anarchy’s forum on April 2nd:
“I don’t want to burden you with this, but you are my sailing family. My 30-year-old son, Spike, died last night from a viral infection. We will have a real Irish wake for him. For now I am in this surreal world. But I know we all loved sailors and Spike was one of those you didn’t need to tell what to do. He had grown up sailing from day one and he always knew what to do. I’m going to miss my son.”
There has been a huge outpouring of support for Bob and his family. Sailing Anarchy says, “The sailing community has come together to establish a fund in Spike Perry’s name at the Seattle Maritime Academy where Spike was a student in the years 2003 and 2004. The fund will provide scholarship money in honor of Spike and the Perry family, helping deserving kids from the Perry’s hometown waters learn more about sailing, seamanship and the region’s rich maritime traditions.”
For more information, go to www.sailinganarchy.com.
We are very recent first time Tayana owners and send our blessings to Spike’s spirit and his family. Given the upcoming Irish wake, below is a blessing from the late John O’Donohue. Blessings to all.
On the Death of the Beloved by John O’Donohe (1956-2008)
Though we need to weep your loss,
You dwell in that safe place in our hearts,
Where no storm or night or pain can reach you.
Your love was like the dawn
Brightening over our lives
Awakening beneath the dark
A further adventure of colour.
The sound of your voice
Found for us
A new music
That brightened everything.
Whatever you enfolded in your gaze
Quickened in the joy of its being;
You placed smiles like flowers
On the altar of the heart.
Your mind always sparkled
With wonder at things.
Though your days here were brief,
Your spirit was live, awake, complete.
We look towards each other no longer
From the old distance of our names;
Now you dwell inside the rhythm of breath,
As close to us as we are to ourselves.
Though we cannot see you with outward eyes, We know our soul’s gaze is upon your face,
Smiling back at us from within everything
To which we bring our best refinement.
Let us not look for you only in memory,
Where we would grow lonely without you.
You would want us to find you in presence,
Beside us when beauty brightens,
When kindness glows
And music echoes eternal tones.
When orchids brighten the earth,
Darkest winter has turned to spring;
May this dark grief flower with hope
In every heart that loves you.
May you continue to inspire us:
To enter each day with a generous heart.
To serve the call of courage and love
Until we see your beautiful face again
In that land where there is no more separation,
Where all tears will be wiped from our mind,
And where we will never lose you again.
My deepest condolences Mr Perry, for this despairing loss.
Kindest regards,
Paul
twitter – Rhumb_Line