KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Today, Steve York is bass fishing on lakes Toho and Kissimmee thanks to the act of a Good Samaritan he’s never met.
York, of Bronson, Mich., came here to fish as a pro at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open #1.
To avoid the snow and slippery road conditions, he departed Michigan a few days early. He arrived a few days late, though, due to misfortune caused by slippery roads in Florida.
York’s travel partner was driving his pickup truck when a rear tire lost traction on a rain-slicked interstate highway outside of Gainesville. The driver lost control, and the truck towing York’s boat spun off the roadway. The rig did a 180-degree turn before coming to a stop in a grassy median.
Remarkably, no injuries were reported in the single-vehicle accident. The boat and trailer flipped over, but the truck only received minor damage.
“Driving on the interstate with the cruise control set to 70 miles per hour isn’t a good idea in the rain,” said York.
York and his partner continued the trip to Kissimmee without a boat in tow. Upon arrival, he updated his Facebook page to share news of the accident with friends. The post went viral and eventually extended outside his network of friends. One of those was a stranger.
Lucas McDaniel and York share one common connection: bass fishing. McDaniel, a tournament pro from Indiana, reached out to help a fellow angler in need with an offer York didn’t expect.
“He offered me his fully rigged and tournament-ready boat, and we’ve never even met,” said York.
All York needed to do was travel to Clewiston, Fla., and pick up the boat in storage at Roland Martin’s Marina. Today he is fishing from the borrowed rig in the tournament.
“It’s really amazing how the angling community comes together when someone is in need,” said York. “I never expected this and only wanted to share my bad luck with friends on Facebook.”
York said he’s seen acts of kindness extended to anglers in need before, but nothing like what he experienced.
“As anglers and tournament fishermen, we share information and even lures and gear,” he said. “That’s just how this sport works.
“I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that generosity can include another guy’s boat,” he added.
Bass fishermen, after all, are a close-knit group.
