One Piece of the Puzzle
Colorful Boat Shines a Spotlight On Autism
www.bassfanarmy.com - Thursday, November 9, 2006

BassFan Army member Eli Delany has a special son, and he wanted a special boat that would bring attention to the boy's situation.
His new Stroker with the colorful jigsaw-puzzle wrap is real hard to miss.

"I've been told that you can't escape it no matter where you go on the lake," he said. "People say, 'You can see it from 3 miles away.'''

The 40-year-old commercial real estate developer from Massachusetts is an avid tournament angler, and he took note of the acclaim
that wrapped boats had drawn at the sport's highest levels over the past couple of years. His 6-year-old son, Luke, is autistic,
and he saw an opportunity to bring additional attention to a disability that now affects one out of 166 children in the U.S.

His boat is a giant Autism Awareness ribbon, with a small portion in front of the console dedicated to the Lance Armstrong
Foundation (both of his parents died of cancer). The splashy graphics have done exactly what he envisioned.

"The reaction has been amazing," he said. "I can't show up at a tournament or a gas station or anywhere without
somebody mentioning it.

"So many people have told me they have a son or a grandson with autism, or they have a relative or a friend who does,
and they were happy that somebody was bringing to light that it's truly an epidemic."

Knows No Bounds

According to the Autism Society of America (ASA) website, autism is "a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first 3 years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities."

It knows no racial, ethnic or social boundaries, but it's four times more prevalent in boys than girls. The ASA estimates that its frequency is increasing at the startling rate of more than 10% a year.

"It's become an epidemic here (in the U.S.) and there's a lack of awareness about it," Delany said. "With the growth of our sport, I saw it as a great chance to promote something that hasn't received some of the promotion that maybe some of the other illnesses and disabilities have.

"Plus, I love my son to death, and along with some of the other physical things we do, having the boat and spending time on it together is something that helps bring a dad and a son closer together. My tournament fishing is separate from him, but I can continue to advance his cause. I'm just hoping that some of the endemic and non-endemic companies in this industry will get behind it."

The former University of Vermont hockey player has fished competitively at the local level for nearly 2 decades. The chance to spread the word about autism has inspired him to try to move up in class.

"I don't think I could compete on a national scale right now, but I'm trying to get more experience so I can continue proceeding forward.
I hope to start fishing BFLs or Bassmaster Weekend Series events soon, and then maybe Stren or BASS Tour events."

A Seed is Planted

Delany said Luke has always exhibited a great love of water, and last winter he developed an interest in the TV fishing shows his father watched.

The next step was predictable.

"I taught him how to use a rod and reel, and with a little guidance, he's caught some fish. We're working on casting, and my hope is that someday he'll fish some tournaments with me."

Right now, what Luke enjoys most is riding in the boat. The custom-built performance craft with a 250-horsepower Mercury engine can top 100 mph, but he doesn't need that type of speed to get a thrill out of the experience.

"He's always telling me, 'Go fast,' but to him, that means just getting the boat up on plane," Delany said. "It's a real motivation to get him out there to experience the outdoors and the environment.

"It's a chance to help him work on different skills, and he gets so excited when he catches a fish."

Notable

Delany has never seen the boat's speedometer go into triple digits, but he said the guy who set it up for him has. He's taken it above 96. "Because of some laws we have here in Massachusetts, I have to drive up to New Hampshire to air it out."

He's never raced a bicycle, but he's a great admirer of Armstrong, who overcame cancer to win the Tour de France seven times.
"What he did for cancer awareness with the bully pulpit he had was unparalleled. To me, he's the greatest athlete ever, in any sport,
for what he did and what he overcame."

He's also a big fan of pro angler Kelly Jordon. "Here's a guy who, in the middle of an insanely busy season, took the time to exchange emails with me on almost a weekly basis, and I've never even met him. I sent him some pictures of the boat and he really encouraged
me to try to get the word out. He's just a fantastic guy and I owe him a big thank you." Jordon is the subject of today's Top Story on BassFan.com. To read it, click here