Wednesday, June 16, 2010

In Memory of Mike- A J/120 Sailor

J/120 sailor- Mike BadienbeckIn Memory of Mike- In a bizarre accident at Bayview Yacht Club after Saturday's Detroit NOOD racing, an SUV suddenly jumped the edge of the parking lot and plowed into a dock where dozens of J/120 sailors and friends were sharing stories and beers as they do after every day of racing.  One sailor well-known to the Anarchist community was found drowned the next morning, while others have serious, though not life-threatening injuries, and the entire community is in a state of shock.

While the exact cause of the crash is still under investigation, one report mentions the 68-year old driver suffering a stroke, while BYC friends of SA tell us that it may have been something as simple as a water bottle lodging itself under the brake pedal of the car.  Either way, a tiny silver lining for the racing community and BYC itself is that there were absolutely no substances involved.  The driver, families, and community are going to have a hard enough time dealing with this tragedy without criminal implications.  You can read more about Mike's tribute here.