An unforgettable memorial…and fishing for the future
There might be no place on Earth more serene and ruggedly beautiful than Kootenai National Forest. The seemingly endless canopy of trees, green rivers cutting through rocky outcroppings, jutting peaks in the distance, all flanked by endless sky…it’s undeniably breathtaking. But while there are places in the Kootenai that seem untouched by humanity, there are also places where this forest is all about humanity. And in winter, as Murphy Lake sleeps under an expanse of ice and snow, something unexpected transforms this tranquil place into a wintery event for the whole family: love.
It began, as many stories of hope do, with death.
The loss of a loved one hits us all at different times and in different ways. The sharp, breaking kind of grief, the deep ache of a lifetime of missing someone, and always the unexpected grief that can roll ashore when we don’t expect it. Grief changes us and shapes us in ways we can never imagine—or anticipate. But for some of us, it creates an opportunity to honor someone we love in a way that reaches beyond our own hearts. It can shape generosity and even a sense of community or even help those in need.
And in 2005, when 18-year-old Ryan Wagner died as a result of a single-vehicle accident, that’s just what some of the members of Trego did. Duane Cash, Tim Thier, Fern Satori, and her husband, Mike Satori, took their grief, their sadness, and their love for the teen…and they created something with it. Something magical.
“Guess we kind of came up with the idea of the Ryan Wagner Memorial Ice Fishing Derby because Ryan was a former student of Mike’s, and he loved fishing,” recalls Fern.
Adds Mike, “You know, I told him, ‘Ryan, you get your homework done, and we’ll go fishing. It’s Friday.” He chuckles. “Well, it didn’t take him long to get his homework done.”
When Wagner passed, the community held a memorial at his favorite fishing spot—Murphy Lake, in the Kootenai National Forrest—that’s well-known among those who love fishing. In the warmer months, the lake ripples under the sun while osprey dive for fish and loons call out in the distance. The lake is known for large- and small-mouth bass, yellow perch, and smaller catches. And in the winter, when the sun glints brightly off half a foot or more of snow and ice, it becomes a favorite haunt for ice-fishing.
“We got our heads together and decided that the best way to keep his passion for fishing alive was to have a derby.”
“After he passed away, his dad had journals that Ryan kept—of fishing—and it was amazing,” says Fern. “I mean, he had the water clarity, the weather outside, the temperature of the water…he loved fishing. That kid loved fishing.”
“We got our heads together and decided that the best way to keep his passion for fishing alive was to have a derby,” Mike adds.
The event—which raises scholarship money for local students—isn’t just about fishing. The derby is more of a winter event for the whole family, featuring breakfast and lunch, plenty of hot beverages, door prizes, raffles, fishing poles for kids, and just a day for community, friends, and family. Parents bring kids of all ages, from infants and preschoolers to teens. And it’s all in the name of one unforgettable kid who loved fishing more than anything else.
“[We want to] instill that love of fishing in kids that Ryan had, you know?” Fern says. “Just trying to pass that on.”
But being able to raise scholarship funds for local students also gives extra meaning to the event. Over the years, the derby has gone from raising only one or two $1,000 scholarships to more than twice that.
“This year, we have three $1,000 scholarships and, as it turns out, two $1,500 scholarships,” says Fern, pride lacing her words. “It’s growing big time.”
“We’ve come a long way financially,” says Thier. “It’s a good, positive thing.”
“It is,” agrees Fern.
“We need more of that.”
There’s been no point—despite the fact that almost twenty years have passed—that any of the organizers have forgotten that grinning kid who loved fishing. There’s even a wooden memorial bench, which, over the years, has taken its fair share of weathering and vandalism. Fortunately, Whitefish Credit Union has arranged for a new bronze plaque in memory of Ryan Wagner and the legacy of generosity he’s left behind.
“You can’t imagine how, you know, it just makes me want to cry—to think of what Ryan would think,” says Fern quietly.
“I’m sure he’s looking from down above,” replies Mike.
“He is.”
For members like you.
Because what we do pays dividends.
