Commentary: We’ll Miss You Miss GEICO
Why does it always have to be the good ones? I felt it when Steve Tripp died in February. Then in late August, Mike Fiore, arguably the best boatbuilder of his generation, was taken from us way too early, followed just a few days later by the news of one of my favorite people in the industry—Carey Downs—dying in a non-performance-boat accident with his good friend Jeremie Floyd.
There was no bigger cheerleader for the Miss GEICO Racing team than Reese Lewis. Photo courtesy Marc Baker
Tonight I am heartbroken once again as I sit in front of my computer well into early Wednesday morning pondering the fairness of life and death. Reese Lewis? There has to be some mistake. The exuberant face of the Miss GEICO Offshore Racing team was the last person I spoke with at the conclusion of the Super Boat International Offshore World Championships awards party before driving from Key West, Fla., to Miami to catch my Monday morning flight home.
That was nine days ago. That’s also now a moment in time I will never forget, especially because Reese was her typical energetic and charming self, paying extra compliments toward the hard work Matt Trulio and I have put into speedonthewater.com. I told her I’d see her next in Miami, referring to the Miami International Boat Show in February. Now I wish I gave her one last hug.
and then