Page 63 - Flathead Beacon // 6.1.16

Putting A Life B ack Together
Tuesday,May10th,21yearoldLucaJohnsonwasridingabike on Highway 37 near Rexford, when he was struck from behind by a vehicle. According to interviews and initial evidence, the motorist had allegedly driven by Luca at least twice before turning his vehicle and hitting him purposely from behind. The man then allegedly stopped, took Luca’s wallet (containing $4.00) from his backpack and drove away before then attempting to ditch his vehicle. The man has been placed under arrest for felony parole violations according to an article in the Flathead Beacon.
Luca was airlifted to Kalispell Regional Medical Center and treated for multiple broken bones, and skull fractures. One of his ears had to be sewn back in place. He has been released and is recovering.
Luca works as a bike tech in the Kalispell Sportsman & Ski Haus. Always smiling, always friendly, Luca is still smiling, giving a “thumbs up”, and anxious to get back to his life. Friends, family and people who never met Luca have been rallying to support him during his recovery and let him know that people care. There has been a fund raising effort on the internet at www.gofundme.com/23usc5w.
His coworkers at the Sportsman raised over $1,800.00 through an in-store employee event and that amount will be matched by the company. Sportsman’s ‘sister’ Tri-State Outfitters stores in Idaho and Washington also took up a collection for Luca.
SAY “I CARE” WITH THE PURCHASE OF BIKE RAFFLE TICKETS . . . ALL THE MONEY GOES TO LUCA! AND YOU COULD WIN A SPECIALIZED ROAD BIKE!
The raffle bike is a Specialized “Diverge Elite DSW MX” road bike valued at $1,500.00.
Tickets are $10 each, or 6 for $50.00, and may be purchased at either Sportsman store in Kalispell or Whitefish.
Celebrating
F it z y
M ike “Fitzy” F itz gerald is retiring!
Com e w ish him w ell
THURSDAY, JUN E 2nd 10am -6pm at the
W hitefish Sportsm an & Ski Haus
After 23 years at the Sportsm an & Ski Haus, Fitzy is pulling the paddles out of the w ater and retiring. Stop by the W hitefish store betw een 10am & 6pm June 2nd to w ish Fitzy a
LON G & HAPPY RETIREM EN T!
FREE
Haw aiian Leis
Free Hockey Pucks Autographed by Fitzy
REFRESHM EN TS 3-6PM
Special“Fitzy Fave” Buys - last chance to buy from Fitzy
Luca Johnson giving a ‘thumbs up’ in his hospital room.
Fitzy has been deeply involved in the Whitefish community over the years. He served on Whitefish’s Parks Board for 24 years which is how Fitzy came to help give hockey its start in the Flathead Valley. Fitzy grew up in a hockey family in a hockey town: Marblehead, Massachusetts, near Boston. Donning his first skates at somewhere around two or three years of age, he was a forward starter all four years for Marblehead High School. He made All State Hockey in his senior year, a big deal with all the competition in a hockey state. Just a few years ago he was inducted into the Marblehead Hockey Hall of Fame.
After high school, Fitzy spent one year at ‘New Prep’ in Cambridge, MA, a powerhouse in turning out great hockey players. This gave him the opportunity to travel all over the East coast playing freshman teams from Yale, Harvard, Boston University and Boston College. From there he went to Boston University. “The guys I skated with that year became All Americans”, Fitzy says. “That year was the peak of my career.”
Our sincere thanks to Specialized for donating this bike!
Fitzy eventually wound up in Whitefish. One day, John Kramer, another Parks Board member said, “I know you played hockey, let’s build an ice rink, whaddya’ think?” Of course Fitzy thought it was a great idea, and so they did. Build the rink, that is. It took a lot of effort, a lot of commitment and a lot of people, but they built Whitefish’s first outdoor rink and put together an A, B and C league. When that first outdoor rink was built in Whitefish, Fitzy played in A League with a “lot of younger kids”. “I felt so fortunate to get to play again and I feel fortunate to have been a part of the hockey community. It was a lot of work but you know, it’s great when I sit back and look at the men and kids I skated with and coached. It’s a family thing and it’s way cool. Hockey has really taken off in this area . . there are a lot of unsung heroes. . it took a lot of work and commitment but that’s what communities are all about.” That first outdoor rink was replaced after ten years by an enclosed rink. When asked how he’d describe Whitefish he said that it was “home,” and that there’s just no place like it. He also expressed how he felt blessed to work at the Sportsman where he could share his passion for the outdoors with so many people. Come in and get one of those autographed hockey pucks from Fitzy. He’s the real deal. And we’re going to miss him.
K alispell • 755-6484
Whitefish • 862-3111 Mountain Mall Daily 9-8; Sunday 10-5
Hutton Ranch Plaza Daily 9-9; Sunday 10-6
JUNE 1, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
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