A Message from Anthony's Father

Dear Friends:

Five years ago, my 11 year old son, Anthony, died of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning while being pulled behind my best friend’s ski boat at Lake Folsom, California .

Here’s some of the important information that I’ve learned since that horrible day:

• At certain points around the back of a ski boat, the exhaust from the engine produces extremely high levels of CO that can cause death in seconds.
• Beginning in 1984, major ski boat manufacturers began paying money and settling wrongful death lawsuits from CO poisoning deaths. Since 1995 there have been at least 20 reported CO ski boat deaths. 

I, along with other concerned people, have been working to keep this tragedy from happening to other families by:

• initiating and passing a California Law requiring CO warnings be placed on ski boats;
• handing out warning pamphlets at Folsom Lake and other locations; and
• publicly speaking out about the problem.

However, an awareness campaign is not going to stop the senseless deaths.  Only changes in the design of ski boat engines to incorporate catalytic converters (solution) will prevent CO deaths.  Using the settlement money my lawyers helped me obtain in my wrongful death case against Calabria Ski Boats, I am establishing this website and billboard campaign to encourage the ski boat industry to make the changes needed to stop these deaths.

If you share my concern about these deaths and want to help make boating safer for everyone, please educate yourself on this issue and contact the U.S. Coast Guard and the boating industry and let your feelings be known.  Thank you.

Sincerely,

Mike Farr