Captain Dan Krehbiel and Deckhands Nick Williams and Cory Bantam have received local (Times/KUOW/KING/KOMO/FOX 13) praise and national recognition from coast to coast for their actions on using the Water Taxi Doc Maynard to push an unmoored cargo barge away from the Seattle waterfront Nov. 2. Their actions are having a ripple effect across Elliott Bay and washing ashore to benefit a Highline Public School.
The captain and crew of the MV Doc Maynard were the guest of the Seattle Kraken during their game with the Colorado Avalanche. The Kraken Unity Fund recognizes “inspiring individuals who are doing outstanding work to transform lives, enable resiliency, and uplift and unite our community across the Pacific Northwest” as a Kraken Hero of the Deep.
Kaken President Tod Leiweke nominated Dan, Nick and Cory as Heroes of the Deep and invited the crew to the game. Leiweke, who was joined by County Executive Dow Constantine, presented the water taxi team to the sellout crowd inside Climate Pledge Arena and told the story of the crew’s final trip of the day and the actions they took to protect the waterfront.
Being a Hero of the Deep provides an opportunity for those who receive the recognition to donate funds provided by the Kraken Unity Fund to the charity or organization of their choice. King County’s Marine Division is going to donate their funds, $32,000, to Highline Public Schools Maritime High School.
Maritime High School is a tuition-free public school designed for students who have an interest in anything connected to the sea, and gives those students hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning experiences so they graduate ready for college or a maritime career. It is a partnership between Highline Public Schools, Northwest Maritime Center, Port of Seattle, and Duwamish River Community Coalition.
“We are grateful to Captain Krehbiel, the King County Water Taxi crew, and the Seattle Kraken for this generous donation,” said Jamila Gordon, the principal of Maritime High School. “The funds will help us prepare our students to fill the maritime jobs that fuel our local economy.”
Thank you, Kraken and Team President Tod Leiweke, for your recognition and for the financial boost to a program that is producing the next generation of mariners!