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WILLARD BAY — Almost one year has passed since avid fisherman Matthew Rasmussen died in a fishing accident, and his family is doing something beautiful in honor of him.
Rasmussen went missing while he was fishing at Willard Bay March 22, 2015. His boat was found that night, and his body was later discovered after a three-day search.
After meeting with the park manager of Willard Bay State Park and the Utah State Parks region manager, the Rasmussen family began raising money for a new fishing dock that is set to be put in place at Willard Bay. Though it will not be a memorial, the family is raising money for the dock to keep her father's memory alive, according to Mykala Rasmussen.
"It's been an important project to me because I think that it's helped me to see my stepmom and my younger sisters and the rest of my family all come together and try to make the best of a tragic situation," Mykala Rasmussen said.
Matthew Rasmussen taught his daughter that it is important to work hard to reach her goals and do what makes her happy.
"Most importantly, he's taught me that life isn't about what you have, it's about who you have," Mykala Rasmussen said. "And so I just kind of wanted to give something back to him."
Matthew Rasmussen worked for the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District for about 10 years, and he participated in a lot of projects at Willard Bay, Mykala Rasmussen said.
"He was an avid fisherman and he was participating in all kinds of fishing tournaments and always trying to figure out the best way to catch the most fish," Mykala Rasmussen said.
A community Facebook page, Fishing Dock at Willard Bay, provides information on how people can donate to the project, including a link to a PayPal account* where donations can be made.
As of Friday, the family had almost reached its $10,000 goal. Mykala Rasmussen said if they surpass their goal, she would like to donate some money to search and rescue.
James Morgan, park manager at Willard Bay State Park, is currently unsure when the dock will be up and running, but he said it will be located in the north marina just west of the boat slips.
"It's a great thing to see the cooperation between not only our agency but also Weber Basin Water Conservancy and the Bureau of Reclamation along with the Rasmussen family to get something that they'll be able to honor Matt with and we'll also be able to get a nice improvement for the park, and that other people will be able to enjoy," Morgan said.
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
