William James Maher

September 13th we marked the spot where he returned to the sea he loved. BJ´s Draw will be back next year ! love you buddy

This past weekend some close friends participated in the 1st BJ Maher memorial fishing trip. The particular coordinates in the Atlantic were marked and saved as BJ´s Draw. Bj was instrumental in planning several prior fishing trips to the canyons where the group caught Swordfish, Tuna and Marlin. This worthy event will become an annual fishing trip in his honor. His spirit is forever bound to the ocean he loved. Miss you BJ.

One thing about my dad, which I adopted from him, was he had an intense capacity to empathize with animals; sometimes even more so than with humans. He had bought this big bag of corn to throw out for the deer that lived in the woods surrounding our house. Every night he could be found outside, late, throwing corn out to the several deer he had become fond of (he also had nicknames for some of them, such as "two sticks" for one with only one antler). 
About two summers ago, there was a turtle that laid eggs next to the side of the pool. Coming across these eggs, my dad determined they were abandoned and subsequently needed to be protected. He cut out a circular piece of wire fencing and placed it, like a dome, above the eggs; nailing down the sides so that predators could not get in. I don´t think either of us ever found out what happened to the eggs, that ominously vanished one day about a month after the domes installment. But the intention was there, to advocate for and protect those creatures who could not do it for themselves. He always stressed how important it was to be a reliable pet owner, no different than if you were to have a child. I believe that to him, neglecting to take care of a being that relied on you entirely was no different than if you had actively or violently harmed another. 
It is grieving that he is not here today, to continue to feed the deer or protect the baby turtles, but that is the reality now and evermore. For a year I have wondered what is left of him. Where can I still find the snarky and quick-witted man that raised me? I thought maybe it was in the smell of his room and clothes, or the art he made and where he spent so much time making it: the animals, our home, the silent and swift shadow of his car. 
While I do think that a bit of BJ Maher is in every one of these things, I have also found that the only place I can truly find him is within myself. Within the memories I have with him. Within the beliefs, values, ideals, and ideas he instilled in me through his tough yet unconditionally loving style of parenting. I will forever miss him, as will the hundreds of other people whose lives he crossed. All we can do is hold on to the impressions he left us with and apply them to our lives better yet than within words, but within our actions as he did.

My Uncle Bj was always my greatest supporter, he was always encouraging me and pushing me to do more for myself. No one believed in me more than he does

Working for him at PrimeTime Limo!
Most of the time!