Beneath the Wings: He's Got Your Six

So, there I was, standing on the deck of a Catalina 36, washing down the topside with a 3500 psi pressure washer after we had completed a bottom job. I washed the topside barefoot as boots would leave black marks on the newly washed deck. Now, I know that it is in my best interest to keep the tip of the nozzle well away from any of my body parts, as the spray of water can pierce my flesh like pointing a handgun and pulling the trigger. I was almost done, just a bit more washing in the cockpit of the sailboat. That was when the hose caught on a kleet. "For crying out loud!" I thought, and for just a moment, my attention drifted to the caught hose. A moment was all it took. The tip of the wand drifted across my right foot, and in that split second, the jet stream blasted a hole into my foot.

I released the trigger and threw the wand over the side and onto the ground. I had to act quickly; I didn't want to get blood all over the deck that I had just washed, so I removed my t-shirt and quickly wrapped the shirt around my injured foot. I made my way over to the ladder and climbed to the ground, cutting the engine on the power washer as I slowly made my way to the front porch, where I could sit and contemplate what had just happened. I couldn't put any weight on my foot; there was something on the underside, it was like walking on a marble. Apparently, the high-pressure stream had blasted a small bone out of its proper place. I sat down in the rocking chair on the porch and thought for a minute. Brian, I should call Brian. I took out my phone and pushed the call button. "Yeah, hello?" came Brian's voice on the other end. "Hey buddy, can you get your bag and come down to the ship's store? I had a bit of an accident." "Yeah, sure, be right there," he responded. “What's the problem?" Brian asked when he had arrived. "I was washing that sailboat with the pressure washer and blew a hole in my foot," I responded. Brian knelt down, "Let's have a look." He unwrapped the shirt from my foot and examined the injury. A frown spread across Brian's face as he carefully examined the injury. "So, can you put a butterfly on it and wrap it up?" I asked. "No, brother, you are going to the hospital," he said. I was down in the emergency at the hospital within the next few minutes.

Brian Stowe exhibits many of the well-known attributes of his Irish ancestors. He has a sharp, often self-deprecating wit. He has a good sense of humor, creates a welcoming atmosphere when he socializes, and has a passion for music. Brian enjoys a good cigar and an occasional bourbon. He often participates in "pub culture", not specifically to drink, but to socialize with the people around him. Brian is a native of North Carolina. He was born in Jamesville and graduated from Cape Hatteras High School. When Brian turned 19, he volunteered to serve his country in the army, and in 2003, he studied and became certified to serve his community as a paramedic. Brian came to Mackeys a few years ago after COVID-19 raised housing costs. After a few "Car Bombs" with Job and Lydia, he knew that he had found a home here at Mackey's Marina. Brian now lives aboard the "Kismet" just down the dock. I thought his boat's name was very interesting. You see, "kismet" is an Arabic word meaning "fate, destiny, or a fortune that is inevitably destined to happen." Those of us at Mackey's Marina know Brian to be somewhat of a "guardian angel", calling on him to assist with boat rescues on the Albemarle Sound and whenever someone gets distracted and inadvertently blows a hole in their foot. Wherever there is a need, Brian answers the call. Whenever he is not working in the community saving lives and spending quality time with his twin sons, Carter and Wesley, you can find him down by his boat, under the dock canopy, socializing with his marina family.

Brian has traveled extensively throughout his life and confesses that his greatest strength lies in his knowledge of the world. He actively works on his own well-being and mental health, striving to become a better man today than he was yesterday, and wants to eventually retire and run charter cruises on the Albemarle Sound. When I asked him for advice, his response was, "Always be positive and caring, even when times don't allow it."

St John Bosco once said, "Our guardian angels are our most faithful friends, because they are with us day and night, always and everywhere," and every one of us here at Mackey's Marina feels very fortunate to be beneath the wings of this guardian angel.