Never ever, ever give up!

My brother Dave was in the Utah Summer Games racing a sailboat that he built himself. There was a category of "swifts" That's the type of boat he sails. He just finished the boat early this spring and hasn't logged a lot of hours on it so this was a really good opportunity. We all got on Sarah's boat, and in the spirit of Kerr tradition went to Deer Creek to support Dave. Never do I remember missing anything our only brother did, if there was any possible way to be there to support him. That's just how it is. We are a tribe. We all do whatever we can to be there to support each other and celebrate the victories together and carry each other through the trials. Jenn couldn't make the trip because she and her family are coming next week to go to Lake Powell with all of us. She called several times during the race to find out what was going on. She hated missing it.
The race was fascinating and it was so incredible to see Dave sailing this boat that we have all heard about and watched through the process of completion.
Then...the wind kicked up and things got crazy! As we were sitting out on the water watching him negotiate the boat around the course, all the sudden the wind kicked up and his boat just tipped over! It was so hard to watch..He climbed up on top of it and pulled and tipped the boat upright again. No sooner had he done that, a gust came up again and blew it totally upside down. He climbed on top again and pulled it back up into position...This cycle continued for what felt like forever. Everytime he tipped over the Coast Guard would drive up and ask if he wanted help. He just kept saying "no thanks". He wanted to finish the race..Finally, after the race had finished and two other heats had also finished, he was so physically exhausted that he had to accept help and be towed to shore.
I'm so happy we were there, not just to tow him to shore, and not just to show our support, but for us and our kids to witness what it means to never, ever, ever give up! What an amazing character he has. The kids, of course were wondering when the race would end, when we would get on the float and go for a ride..why was Dave's boat upside down again? Soon, they seemed to understand that this wasn't really what we wanted to see happen either and they became a little more patient. I'm uncertain what impact that experience will make on the kids long-term. I do know for me, I will think of the exhausted man laying on the bow of his self-made boat with hardly the energy to even hold his head up and challenges will be faced with a little more courage from now on.




Dave, you are an inspiration..I am so proud to have you as my brother. Love you. T