At Coral Restoration Foundation™ (CRF), we’re honored to be part of a growing community of people who share a deep love for the ocean and are committed to protecting its future. Recently, one such individual made the meaningful decision to include CRF in his will. Though he wishes to remain anonymous, his story reflects a lifetime shaped by saltwater and a vision of leaving behind something lasting for the sea he loves.
A Life Shaped by Saltwater
For this donor, the ocean has always been home.
Raised in a family with generations tied to life on the water, he spent his early years immersed in boating, fishing, and exploring Florida’s waterways.
“Thru fog & haze this captain says, ‘stick with me, we’re on the buoy.’ “
“That’s what my mother wrote to my father on the inside cover of the 1964 edition of Dutton’s Navigation and Piloting, and it perfectly captures the spirit of my upbringing. My parents and their parents before them were old salts, and this is part of who I am. Son of a son of a sailor … thanks, Jimmy,” he shared.
He recalled how his childhood was filled with moments on the water: from chasing seabirds to savoring sashimi his mother prepared from freshly caught tuna in Bahamian waters.
“Cruising the waters of Long Island Sound with my parents on their boat when I was a child; watching and learning from my dad as he navigated, yes, through thick fog, with paper charts, a compass, his wristwatch, dividers, and a parallel rule; chasing flocks of seagulls seen miles away that were telltales of the fish feeding beneath them. I remember taking the helm with my mother beside me as my father stood on the bow pulling the anchor, steering the boat out of an anchorage when I was barely tall enough to see over the bridge coaming.”
As an adult, visiting his parents aboard the boat they lived on for two decades in Islamorada and the Abacos, further deepened his connection to the sea. He eventually named his own boat after theirs as a tribute to the family and water that raised him. He currently resides in Stuart, Florida. He notes, “this is where my roots are. The waters around the St. Lucie Inlet still hold the ambiance of the old Florida Keys I knew as a child.”
The Spark of Wonder
One vivid memory from his youth stands out. In the 1960s, his family often visited close friends in Islamorada. One of them, Alice, had a captivating fascination with marine life.
“Alice was passionate about sea life and marine biology … she created a micro-habitat in a tank she built in the living room. She carefully studied and observed the creatures she harvested from the waters outside of the house,” he recalled.
“I remember being fascinated by the life in the tank – much of which I had become so familiar with from the time I spent walking the flats with dad. Alice explained what the creatures were and how they needed each other, and the coral that thrived among them to survive.”
And that sense of wonder has never left.
“Being on the ocean feels like entering a sacred space,” he said. “It’s awe-inspiring and humbling – something to be revered and protected.”
From Connection to Action
His path to CRF™ began with a desire to honor that lifelong connection to the sea and to take meaningful action.
He wanted to do something impactful to honor his parents, their legacy, and their love for the Florida Keys. In his search for an organization rooted in the Florida Keys and dedicated to not only to restoring reefs, but to foster and instill the knowledge necessary to protect them for generations to come. That’s when he discovered CRF™.
“What really stood out to me about Coral Restoration Foundation was its clarity of purpose,” he explained. “As an engineer, I was impressed with the minimum amount of brick and mortar. The organization avoids flashy distractions and focuses its resources where they matter most – on cost-effective materials and science-based techniques. I was especially drawn to CRF’s well-defined mission and the thoughtful way they go about achieving and sharing it with other restoration partners. To me, it’s CRF’s commitment to building capacity through people and communities that makes it not only effective but inspiring.”
Transforming Passion into Impact
That commitment to action led to a deeply personal choice: to leave a portion of his estate to CRF™.
“I’ve spent my life solving complex engineering problems with practical, effective solutions. Supporting CRF™ reflects that same mindset – real solutions for a real crisis. As Marvin Bower, the father of modern management consulting, said, ‘Ideas are not enough. They do not last. Something practical must be done with them.’”
A Legacy of Hope
For this individual, legacy giving isn’t about recognition. It’s about paying it forward with humility. When asked what he hoped his gift would help achieve, he answered simply, “Resiliency – for the reefs, and for the people who depend on them.”
“Our planet is 4.5 billion years old. My time here is a blink – but through organizations like CRF™, my impact can continue well beyond my lifetime. I want future generations to experience coral reefs not as something from history books, but as living, thriving ecosystems.”
You Can Leave a Legacy, Too
He believes coral restoration is both possible and essential. “Everything we do as humans affects the fragile ecosystems we depend on. The reefs are part of a bigger picture – interconnected systems upon which we depend. Restoration is possible. But only if we choose to act.”
His final wish is that readers walk away with one key insight:
“Protecting and nurturing these ecosystems is within our control.”
Like this supporter and many others, you can leave a lasting impact on our blue planet.
By including Coral Restoration Foundation™ in your will or estate plans, you’re not just giving a gift. You’re helping rebuild reefs, advance science, and inspire generations of ocean stewards to come.
Your legacy can ensure that coral reefs remain vibrant, living ecosystems for those who come after us.
Click here to learn how your impact can live on beneath the waves.
