"Here, why don't you try my pole," Kevin called out on the shore of the lake. Ten-year-old Jesse had done everything that Fisherman Kevin had instructed him. His bait was deliciously dangling from the hidden hook, and the line had been cast right where the fish were biting - but no tug.

Activity time and Jesse's patience had just about run out when Kevin had a final fisherman’s trick - “Try my pole,” Kevin once more motioned to Jesse, “maybe that will work.”

Jesse took Kevin’s pole with a fractioned heart of belief. He heaved out the words, “That’s not gonna work Mr. Kevin.” Jesse’s tone of voice matched his facial expression – he had given up.

Jesse showed up at camp last summer like all the other campers, big sadness and no hope. The children come from foster or group homes because they have been beaten, abandoned or neglected by the people who are supposed to care, love, and protect them.

As Jesse took hold of the borrowed pole, a little fish began to wiggle and a little hope grew in his heart. The tip of the pole dipped and instantly Jesse turned into a world class Bluegill fisherman! Through all the disappointments and heartache Jesse had learned to live with, there came a moment of hope fulfilled. Jesse caught his first fish!

Fisherman Kevin made sure that every camper caught a fish. Whether they caught it with their own pole or borrowed Kevin’s pole with a fish already on the hook – kind of a holy cheater. Kevin was at his best when he gave away a week of his vacation each summer to spend time showing campers like Jesse how to catch a fish.

This past July 4, 2010, Kevin’s 10th year at Lakewood, California Royal Family Kids’ Camps, he had just finished setting up the fishing area on Sunday late afternoon a day before the campers arrived.

He wanted to take a ride on a golf cart up to the cross on the hill, a popular hike for staff, counselors and campers. On the way back down the wide dirt path, something tragic happened and Kevin fell off the cart and fatally struck his head on the ground.

He died there on the pathway coming down from cross hill.

Kevin’s last Facebook status updates posted typical expressions from campers in past years:

“Fisherman Kevin, my lines stuck in the tree again.”
“Fisherman Kevin, a fish ate my worm.”
“Fisherman Kevin, how come I haven’t caught a fish?”

Then finally Kevin’s last response:
“Haha, the best sound ever. Can hardly wait.”

Fisherman Kevin Fry will be missed and remembered as the man who made sure that every camper succeeded at catching a fish. But even more than that, he showed each one the love and patience of Jesus.

Jesus has called all of us at Royal Family Kids’ Camps to be fishers of little men.