We’ve got a boat to build.

Fishing surely is a top priority right now because this is our high season but it’s also the right time to meet ten year old Gabe Littlefield. Gabe’s a cool kid with a cool Dad who takes his kids and lots of people fishing. Gabe has developed a health issue requiring lots of time and money so now we need to give the Littlefield family a little of both.

And it doesn’t matter if you know him or his Dad but I promise you, retelling how you helped Gabe kick the crap out of cancer just may be your favorite fish story of the year.

Days precious days

Gabe has an exceedingly rare case of osteosarcoma which translates roughly into a general pain in the bones requiring, as his family wrote, “both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Treatment will include monthly stays at the hospital as he will also need multiple surgeries to remove and repair the damaged bone.”

Roll in and out like waves

That’s a lot for a young man who should be focused on easier horizons, like catching fluke and maybe playing video games.

I got boards to bend I got planks to nail

If you’re on the downhill side of grey like me, you’d give just about anything to be ten again and even more to be ten without a worry.

I got charts to make I got seas to sail

He has whole world before him; there’s all that running and chasing, that laughing and dreaming, all that focus on fun which doesn’t consider tomorrow because when you’re young, tomorrow is such a given. What’s given now is that Gabe has some challenges and his family needs our help.

Let the chips fall where they will

Gabe’s Dad is Mike Littlefield, owner and captain of ArchAngel Charters in Portsmouth. He runs a 28 foot Hydra-Sports center console for charters targeting stripers, bluefish, black sea bass, tuna and anything that swims. He gives back by offering a 15 percent discount to military veterans because that’s what good people do. He’s a tugboat captain by trade so he knows the sea and how to navigate it.  Navigating the challenges of cancer is a whole different deal but he’s got support.

That’s Gabe on the right, with his soon to be little brother

Because I’ve got boats to build

Three of Gabe’s classmate’s recently held a lemonade and bake sale to raise funds for their friend which raised over $1500.00. How cool is that?

More than 800 tickets were sold to celebrate Gabe’s strengths at his August 19 fundraiser. The Portuguese American Citizens Club in Portsmouth provided an afternoon of food, raffles and a silent auction with all profits going directly to his fund. Members of the Ocean State Kayak Anglers Association had two kayaks up for raffle as well. You know why? Because we fishermen are competitors at heart but when it comes to the larger fishing community, especially the younger ones, we know how to step up and give to those who hurt.

Sails are just like wings

Greg Vespe, member of the Aquidneck Island Striper Team and the RI Saltwater Anglers Association, donated a master grade sugar maple sashimi/sushi presentation plank, cut from his family farm, which really adds to the value. It’s a serious piece of art, something from the heart and none of that generosity surprises me; Greg’s a good man. With just one text, Jamestown firefighter, die hard Red Sox fan and all around most amazing guy, Lew Kitts, offered four tickets to a home game. He’s a season ticket holder who lives and breathes The Sox. He also doesn’t know the Littlefield family. “Can you spare two tickets?” I asked. “I’ll drop off a set of four. Will Power,” he wrote in a moment. Will Power was a loving reference to his own son, Will Kitts, who left us all far too soon.

The wind can make them sing

Big name sponsors from our fishing community also stepped up to help Gabe. His family is grateful for the generosity of Humminbird, Ralph Craft and his Crafty One Customs, Wilderness Systems Kayaks, The Kayak Center of RI, YakAttack and Butchie Built Custom Tubes.

Isn’t that what life’s all about? 

Songs of life, songs of hope

We’ll have more details on the event in our next post but in the meantime, please consider donating at www.gabesgotthis.org.

Donate because Gabe Littlefield is ten years young and your support, every last nickel, will go to helping him not worry about tomorrow because he’ll know it’s a given.

Songs to keep your dreams afloat.

Please donate so we all know Gabe’s got this, so he can get back to running, laughing, fishing and jumping for the moon, just like all kids should be doing and you can start telling your newest best fish story about a boat full of support for a young, cool kid named Gabe Littlefield.

*Lyrics in bold italic print are the work of master songwriter, Guy Clark.