Plans to sink a wrecked ship in memory of Brian Davis

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — At only 21-years-old, Brian Davis died in a scuba diving accident on June 22nd.

“You know those people you meet in life, the soon as you meet them, you feel special. They make you feel like a good person, I guess Brian kinda had that personality,” friend of Davis, Sam Blount said.

Davis died doing something he loved. He was on a scuba spear fishing trip.

“What we are hoping to do is sink this wreck out by one of his favorite wrecks, which was the Greg Mickey and maybe turning that area into a memorial garden,” Blount said.

Blount has been working on a memorial for his friend and it has turned into something more than he imagined.

“We started small, we initially planned maybe raise enough for a memorial, something like that, but it has really turned into this big, ya know thing that’s happened. We’ve raised over $38,000,” Blount said.

A 120-foot steel tug boat has been donated to sink for the memorial. Blount is hoping to have the memorial ship wreck finished for next summer.

“It’s pretty spectacular between the dive community here in Wilmington. I mean we have had people from Florida, to ya know New York probably at least, helping contribute share. People in Raleigh, ya know where he grew up, his family, everything. Everyone’s just kind of coming together and working together to make this happen,” Blount said.

A memorial plaque is hanging at Front Line Freediving for Davis and says, “as you trade your fins for wings you know you won’t be forgotten.”

Davis was a dive master and played a big role in the Wilmington diving community.

On August 11th there will be a silent action fundraiser at Wrightsville Beach Brewery. If you would like more information on donating to the memorial, click here.