Brother Hog hunter killed in Hawaii

[Cottonwood]

I got this thru a buddy of mine and thought I would pass this along.

Aloha all friends and outdoorsmen,

This is a very sad day. Eric Sawchuck, an avid rifle & bow hunter, the owner of HawaiiSportsman.com and producer of Hawaii Sportsman TV passed away Sunday, 2/1/09 while goat hunting in Makua Valley area in Makaha Hawaii. Eric was 41 years old.

Eric was stalking some Goat bucks, when he slipped off a jagged rocky outcropping, and fell 20 feet to a rocky ledge, where we think, he hit his head, that caused his death. Eric then slid down another 80 feet of broken rock where luckily he was stooped by some Keawe (mesquite) bushes. If those bushes had not stopped him, he would’ve fallen another 500 feet down a steep cliff. According to the coroner, he died instantly from the head injury.

Eric died doing what he loved best, hunting, and he wouldn’t have wanted to go any other way.

Eric’s show was seen on Olelo channel 52, in the Hawaiian Islands and was a free show. He was about to expand to bigger markets across the US. He made no money doing his show and did it for free to help the hunting community come together. He was an advocate for opening up lands for the public hunter. Everything he did was for the betterment of all hunters worldwide.

Eric’s web site www.HawaiianSportsman.com is the only one of its kind in Hawaii, where hunters cane come together and discuss hunting. Eric did this for free also, never charging any one to utilize his site. Check out his sight and you will read the comments about his passing and how much he will be missed.

Please pray for his family and take a moment to reflect on all that Eric has done for the hunting community in Hawaii. He left behind two beautiful children Kino 9 & Jessica 5 and a wonderful wife Theresa.

Eric and his wife Theresa are emergency nurses at Queens hospital. They have helped save more lives then we will ever know.

He really opened my eyes to pig hunting and especially bow hunting. He was my bow hunting mentor. He was always nice to everyone and showed aloha to all. He would offer help to anyone that needed it, and wouldn’t ask anything in return. He was my friend and my companion in the field. I will miss him and always cherish our time together.

Eric and I filmed hunts of each other and of others. He would give free DVD’s to the people that hunted, to cherish there hunt for years to come. He was working on his first DVD to sell in sporting good stores and to lift his family up and offer a better life for his kids. His friends will try to continue and finish his work and get his DVD out.

Eric was a perfect example of the Phrase "Pay it forward." He would always give before ever expecting to get something back in return. I hope we all can learn from him and keeps his energy moving through the hunting community.

Eric, I look forward to seeing you on the other side, Bow in hand, still doing what you did best, Hunting, and teaching. I will miss you Eric, more then you will ever know.

I have set up a bank trust fund for Eric’s Kids to help with there future. There mother has been fighting cancer for over a year and things are not looking well. She told me the other day after Eric died, that she was always expecting that Eric would take care of her beautiful children when she past, and now she doesn’t know what to do. Eric has been caring for the whole family with his one nurse’s check. At the same time, he was still providing free access to his show and web site. He has left behind some debt that the family will have a hard time cleaning up.

If there is one thing I am going to do, it's to make sure his kids have a fighting chance. If you can send this out to all of your hunting buddies, I would really appreciate it. Anything you can give or do will be appreciated. $20, $50, $100, anything will help them. The more people that send something in the better. These kids have nothing left. I have opened the account for the kids with a donation from my family.

Make checks payable to: Children of Eric Sawchuck Fund.

All donations can be sent to: Bank Of Hawaii Kahala branch, Children of Eric Sawchuk fund, 4634 Kilauea Ave., Honolulu, HI 96816, Phone: 808-694-6722 Fax: (808) 694-6717

If you have any questions, you can call the bank at 808-694-6722. I know as hunter and outdoors man and woman we can help these kids. I have attached a letter from one of Eric’s friends who never even met Eric in person, he just knew him from his web site and conversations they had on the phone. And the link to the article from the paper. Read this letter and my letter and you will know this was a good man.

Anything you can do will be appreciated.

Link to article in paper: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009902030331

PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO ANY ONE YOU THINK CAN HELP. THE MORE IT SPREADS AROUND, THE MORE WE CAN POSIBBLY HELP THE CHILDREN.

Thank you for your support,

Ralph Gray Friend and hunting companion