A North Carolina shrimping family is facing the kind of loss every fisherman hopes never comes.
The 75-foot shrimper trawler Lewis Boys was destroyed by fire in the early morning hours of May 12 while docked in Swan Quarter. According to local reports, fire crews responded around 4 a.m., with as many as 11 firefighters working throughout the day to battle the blaze. By the time it was over, the vessel was a total loss.
Captain Mark Lewis, a lifelong shrimper, has been asleep on board when the fire broke out. He woke to a change in the sound of the generator and was able to escape safely. No injuries were reported.
For the Lewis family, the loss goes far beyond the vessel itself.
The Lewis Boys was their primary source of income. Like many in the commercial fishing industry, the boat represented years of work, investment and sacrifice. Without it, the family is left without a way to fish and without a steady livelihood.
Lewis is a third-generation shrimp. He and his wife Ashley are raising two sons, including an 18-year old recently recognized as an Eagle Scout and now in Army Reserve basic training and a 9-year-old active in the local scouting community. Friends and neighbors describe the family as deeply rooted in both the fishing industry and their coastal community.
The sense of community has been evident in the days following the fire.
Organizations and industry groups across eastern North Carolina have begun rallying support, urging others to step in where they can. The North Carolina Seafood Festival called on its network to keep the family in their prayers and to help spread the word, noting the difficult road ahead after losing their livelihood.
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to provide financial relief as the family looks to rebuild. Organizers point out a reality familiar to many fishermen: the high cost of insuring a commercial vessel often leaves boats uninsured, leaving families especially vulnerable when disaster strikes.
For those in the industry, the story is a familiar one. Boats are more than equipment. They are the backbone of a business and the center of a family’s way of life. And in Swan Quarter, that reality is now front and center.
You can find the Lewis' family GoFundMe here.
