Celebrating Joey Gratton

Are you tired of reading about death? Good—because I’m sick of writing about it. Like you, I’ll be happy to kick this tragic year in our little world to the curb and wrap my arms around the next one.

And what better way to do that than with a real celebration of life? That’s exactly what will happen on January 1, 2015, when friends and family of Joey Gratton come together in Sarasota, Fla., for a New Year’s Day Fun Run in his honor.

A well-known and respected offshore racer, Gratton drowned after the catamaran he was throttling rolled during the 2011 Super Boat International Offshore World Championships in Key West, Fla. Among those devastated by the loss of Gratton was his close friend and fellow offshore racer Ryan Beckley. So with permission from the Gratton family, Beckley’s annual New Year’s Day Fun Run became the Joey Gratton Memorial Fun Run.

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Photo courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix