Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group TEESHOE, The 51st. Anniversary

At 7:30pm on the evening of Saturday, December 4, 1954, a tugboat named the Teeshoe was asked to take a Canadian Pilot out to the Giovanni Amendola, a foreign freighter anchored outside a paper mill in Powell River B.C., my home town. My father, also named George, was the Captain of the tugboat and rounded up a crew of two more men and because my 12 year old brother Fred was desparately wanting to go along for the ride, Dad said OK. They laft the house at 7:45 and from what we heard, took the Pilot out to the ship.

Fred was found the next day on an Island 12 miles away from where the freighter was located and he was alive but not in very good shape. Fred was brought back home with a Doctor riding with him and was able to tell the searchers what had happened. The tugboat had been chewed up by the propellers of the freighter as the freighter Captain followed the orders of the Pilot which doomed the crew of the Teeshoe to death. Fred saw one of the men slip slowly under the water and he wasn't able to help him. The lifeboat that Dad and the other man were holding on to, completely came apart and Fred lost touch with them.

Four years ago, my brother wanted to find a way to make a documentary film about the Teeshoe and I ignored him for a year or so and realized that he wouldn't give up so I said OK, let's do it. We found a Director who had done well as an amateur Director in several films and then found a Camerawoman who had won awards for films in the past and they found an up and coming composer who was born in my home town so we were given the background music for free and things started to look good but Fred and I made some rules. We wanted no actors playing our roles, we wanted no writers to write a script that we had to follow. We would decide what we wanted to say.

And it worked. We made a film for a 2 hour special length but found that when we shortened it, we had a better film for a one hour presentation. It was hard work for me as my AS protested all the way through but it was something I couldn't stop and I started to enjoy working with my brother and started to get a better understanding of what he went through that first 24 hours.

We had hoped to have the film finished by the 50th anniversary on Dec.4th, 2004 but just couldn't make it but 3 months later, we had the premiere presentation of the film in our home town of Powell River and it was a great success.

During the last 3 years, there were 8 ASKickers who knew almost everything that I was doing regarding the film and I want to thank Pete, John, Inanna, LitleSiss, Lon, Michelle in Md, Loz and Jeanna for helping to keep me together. Also, I thank the 15 ASKickers who agreed to view the Teeshoe film and hopefully would get some opinions back. They are Cristina, Pete, Teddi, Chelle, Betty, David, Klem, Holly, Tim, Brad, Lori, Lisa, Linc, Stevec, Michelle, and Lon.

It wasn't just our family who was affected by this tragedy. Of the other two men who perrished, George Crooks was married and had just one daughter(Kathy) the same age as Fred. The other man had an older son and daughter and a teenager (Doug) the same age as me.

Thanks from all of us.
George, Fred, Kathy (also known as Cathie) and Doug. We have adopted the name;

The TEESHOE KIDS.

Teeshoe comes from the Coast Salish language and it means:
"The end of a Journey" It was!

George

Hey, George:

Congratulations on finishing your film project! I'll be looking for it in my local art theatre soon.

Regards to You and your family,
John

Thanks John,

We decided to enter it in a Film Festival early next year in our Provinvial Capital city of Victoria. To win would be nice but Fred and I have already got from this effort, everything we wanted. However, a win would be a feather in their caps for our Director and Camera Lady. They are wonderful ladies and treated us all like brothers and sisters.

Imagine, from working on the Teeshoe last Christmas to working on a film about Aids in Chad this Christmas. Devotion to their work? Yes indeed.
regards,
George

George,
I don't know what to say other than WOW!!.

What a lot of work for everyone, and how emotional it must have been, and still is, for you and your brother. I'm sure your dad would have been very proud of you both, and appreciative of this tribute. I hope that doing this was therapeutic for your brother, and you as well. It sounds like you should be ready for a much deserved rest. Take care.

After Fred recovered from his experience, and that took a week or so, his mission was to let everyone know that it was the combined effort of three men who made sure that he would survive. They made sure that Fred had the best life-jacket and tossed him over into the water with a floatable 3 foot square box that had rope loops on it to hold on to. Then Dad and the other two men jumped into the water as the Teeshoe sank.

The Doctor could not understand how he managed to live with the ocean being so cold that night. Perhaps someone was looking after him?

Yes, all four of us Teeshoe Kids have felt like a lead weight has been lifted since we first showed the film. Peace of mind is likely the best way to express it. Fred is only 63 and I am sure that his remaining years will be good ones, especially now.

Thanks,
George

Nice to see you printing this information on the main board George. I've cherished all the insider glimpses that you've so generously passed on to me.

For those that haven't seen it yet, let me tell you it's well worth the wait. A remarkably moving documentary that will captivate all.

It was a horrific blunder which caused a terrible accident on that night 51 years ago. And times being what they were, they thought to shelter the children whose fathers had died, with silence. The children have finally had their chance to speak about it.

Well done
Klem

George: I was only about a year and a half when this tradjedy hapened. I hope that it will be shown on the discovery channel ,history channel or something similiar as it is an interesting but sad story. I am sure it causes you sadness every day of your life.God bless you.
kev

Hi George,

Very touching story, recall from your PM and it is nice of you to share it here with the Kickers so that all may share in the remembrance on todays date.

The video has not made its way to me yet, but I await patiently.

Take care,

Tim

I was 18 when it happened Kev. I had made lots of plans to go to University after graduation from highschool and become a Mechanical Engineer, something I had wanted since I was 10. Instead, I became the money earner of the family and while I was disappointed, I knew that I had to look after the family first.

For sure, there is still some sadness. My father wasn't there to see his four grandsons and I felt cheated as my Dad wasn't there for me when I really needed him but I made it through OK.

The biggest cause of sadness though was the fact that there wasn't any justice. A bad decision made by a Canadian Pilot who is responsible for foreign ships when they are in Canadian waters, made one of the worst commands at the bridge and the Teeshoe was chopped up like a log being attacked by a chain saw.

For this, the Pilot was censured which was equivalent to having your Boss tell you that he wasn't happy with what you did. In making the movie, all four of us Teeshoe Kids were hoping that the Pilot was still alive and was seeing the film. We wanted him to see what he had done and how he affected our lives. Unfortunately, he had died years ago.

Yes, some sadness is still hanging around and still lots of anger which is much harder to let go of.

I hope that your AS problems get better Kev. BTW, my youngest son of 19 is a Kev also.

Thanks for your post,

George

George, I know this has to be a hard anniversary for you to reach every year, but I know finishing the film has made it a bit easier to come to now. I am eagerly awaiting my turn in the queue and can't wait to see your story put to film.

My condolences to you and your family on this anniversary date.

Brad