Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3607 March 17 -31, 2017 | Page 29
VOL. 36 • ISS. 07
WHAT’S HOT – SALTWATER
MARCH 17 - 31, 2017
27
Captain Steve Mitchell Pays It Forward
“People change two ways — with
slow persistent pressure or with a
sudden, traumatic experience”
and fall into the street. While I was
on the ground, I tried to use my cell
phone to call 911, but it wouldn’t
-Edwin, Tlingit elder in work. I prayed for my life, and out
‘Touching Spirit Bear’ of nowhere, a man showed up – I
call him my angel – and he called
911 from his phone,” said Mitchell.
BY DAVE HURLEY
“The ambulance arrived within
OF THE FISH SNIFFER
minutes, and I began a two-month
aptain Steve Mitchell of
stay in the hospital with another
Hook’d Up Sport Fishing
stay in a rehabilitation facility. I
has been on both ends of
have been given the gift to live, and
the motivations for change, and he
I want to share my experience with
is taking his striking message of
others so they can find something
the power of fishing and doing the
positive in their lives to avoid the
right thing to elementary and mid-
trappings that plague so many of
dle school students.
our youth. If I can save one young
On August 3, 2016, Mitchell’s
man or woman, I will be successful.
life changed with one sudden,
The young men that shot me didn’t
traumatic event. After a long day of
even know me, but the detectives
fishing out of the Berkeley Marina,
told me later that there is an ongo-
Mitchell drove south to Oakland
ing turf war in the neighborhood,”
to visit a friend. While pulling over
he said.
in a neighborhood to confirm the
During a recent conversation,
visit via telephone, an automobile
Captain Steve described his desire
stopped in front of his parked car,
to connect with youth in order to
and two young men got out of the
make a difference in their lives,
car.
especially in the neighborhood
Mitchell said, “Within 30 to 40
in Oakland where the incident
seconds of being on the phone with
occurred. As an educator in my
my friend, one young man ran
hometown of Stockton, I suggest-
to my passenger window and the
ed that we start his outreach with
other was standing at the back door
students from our 6th grade at
of the stopped vehicle, and both of
Sutherland Elementary School in
them shot into my parked car sev-
northeast Stock