Wounded Veterans Relief Fund Fishing Tournament

Caring Veterans Helping Distressed Veterans — A Lifeline That Lasts Forever

By Jack Pagano

jack@thetampapost.com

STUART, FL — Don Hecker spent 20 years in the Air Force, including dangerous tours as a medic in Iraq.  He has seen war up close, and he understands the responsibility of giving back. That’s why the retired master sergeant — now a Miami mortgage broker — drove from Miami Lakes to Stuart to take part in the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund’s annual event.  “I don’t want to see veterans fall through the cracks,” Hecker said. “This organization understands those cracks exist throughout Florida, and we’re here to help unconditionally.”

That spirit of service filled Pirate’s Cove Resort. What began as a simple fishing tournament has grown into something much larger — a celebration of community, compassion, and the quiet power of veterans helping veterans.

Good food and military rivalry were evident at the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund Fishing Tournament. Stuart, Florida. August 15, 2026 (photo by Jack Pagano)

A proud, iconic salute supporting the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund, which was on display at the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund Fishing Tournament in Stuart, Florida. August 15, 2026 (photo by Jack Pagano)

A Competition With Heart

The two‑day Wounded Veterans Relief Fund Fishing Tournament transformed the venue into a lively hub of friendly military rivalry — Army vs. Navy, with Marines and Air Force proudly touting their fishing skills. Beneath the excitement of landing the biggest catch, a deeper purpose anchored the event: raising money for veterans in distress.  Nearly 100 veterans launched from 70 boats in 100‑plus‑degree heat, driven by camaraderie, competition, and a shared mission to support fellow veterans in need.

WVRF Executive Director Mike Durkee knows that mission well. A former Army helicopter pilot who flew combat missions in Afghanistan and served in Iraq, Durkee joined the organization in 2014 and became Executive Director in 2016.  “We’re helping distressed veterans across Florida,” Durkee said. “We work with the VA and county veteran services offices. When a veteran hits hard times, we’re there — even with dental care.” This year alone, WVRF will assist more than 300 veterans with critical dental needs, covering costs and partnering with Florida dentists to reduce expenses wherever possible.

Wounded Veterans Relief Fund Executive Director Mike Durkee is commanding the Fishing tournament venue at the Pirates Cove and Resort.  The fishing tournament dished out more than $9,000 in prize money, and more than $50,000 was raised.  This money will help distressed veterans throughout Florida. Stuart, Florida. August 15, 2026 (photo by Jack Pagano)

Air Force retired Master Sergeant Don Hecker talks about aiming high with Air Force retired Lieutenant Colonel and A10 fighter pilot Willard Shepard.  Both are members of the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund staff and came out to cheer on the fishermen at the Pirates Cove and Resort in Stuart, Florida. August 15, 2026 (photo by Jack Pagano)

Fishing for Something Bigger

Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Willard Shepard — a longtime friend of this writer dating back to Desert Storm — knows the value of service. I first met Willard in 1991 while documenting the war for the Army. After watching an A‑10 Warthog scream across the deck, flown by an African American pilot, I raced to the flight line to interview him. That moment echoed the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, whom I later profiled in Pentagon productions on African Americans in WWII.

Willard went on to a three‑decade career at NBC Miami and now lends his voice to WVRF as part of his commitment to giving back. “Florida is number two in the nation for veteran population — nearly one and a half million veterans live here,” Shepard said. California is number one; Texas is now number three.  “This state is expensive, and WVRF is here for the veterans who can’t make it. This event raises crucial survival money for those who need it most.”

Wounded Veterans Relief Fund Executive Director Mike Durkee and Assistant Amy Widmann go over the list of fishing winners and the 50-50 big raffle at the Pirates Cove and Resort in Stuart, Florida. August 15, 2026 (photo by Jack Pagano)

More Than a Tournament — A Veteran Tradition that Starts Now

 As the sun slipped below the horizon at Pirate’s Cove, the docks glowed with something far more powerful than competition.  More than $50,000 had been raised — money that will change lives, steady families, and remind struggling veterans that they are not alone. But the true measure of the day wasn’t in the dollars counted. It was in the quiet moments: a hand on a shoulder, a shared memory, a laugh that broke through years of heaviness, a veteran realizing someone still sees them.

For many who came to fish, the tournament became something deeper — a reminder that their service still matters, that their community still cares, and that their brothers and sisters in arms will always show up.

Shepard and Durkee know this better than anyone. They’ve watched veterans fall through the cracks, and they’ve made it their mission to catch them before they break.

In the end, this wasn’t just a tournament. It was a promise — that every veteran’s story still matters, that their sacrifices are remembered, and that when life hits hard, the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund will be there to lift them back into the light.

The Grand Prize winners: Largest Kingfish from Boat 32. No name took the title, and the Largest Bonita Fish catch from boat 6 is below. The fishing tournament supports veterans in distress who need a lifeline. WVRF is there. Stuart, Florida.  August 16, 2026 (photo by Jack Pagano)

Veteran broadcast journalist Jack Pagano is a retired Army field grade officer with many decades of Information Operations “in the fight” experience and is currently working remotely in the USA as COO/Strategist for one of Afghanistan’s biggest Radio/TV networks.  His next mission is getting out Afghan journalists he trained and mentored who are stuck, stranded under the Sharia-driven Taliban.