Richard Formato

Richard Formato is an avid catch-and-release fly-fisherman from Wytheville, Va. When not on the water, he operates a small business there. Formato loves to fly-fish in his native Southwest Virginia because of the great water and wonderful people. He also loves to fish the flats and shallows of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic whenever work and weather permit. He is on the Department of Conservation and Recreation's board of directors and is a trustee of the Shenandoah National Forest and Skyline Drive.

Recent columns

• What about Bob?
• Notes from the Charlotte Fly Show
• A chance meeting
• A wish for Jack

• Column archive
• Talk fly-fishing

Every now and then you come across something in your life that stops you dead in your tracks.

Hopefully, it’s something wonderful, like an unsolicited compliment, your kid getting an A in Algebra, or the sight of a beautiful sunset on your way home from a tough day.

Sometimes it’s bad news, like “you have cancer.”

These three words have no doubt redefined the lives and meaning of way too men, women, and, God forbid, the children, who must live the day after they hear these words.

For some men fighting, living and prevailing against cancer, there is an organization that provides them with the chance to discuss their illness in a place that is safe… on the banks of a trout stream.

“Reel Recovery” is an organization devoted to helping men open up about their cancer.

Reel Recovery was founded in 2003 by a group of avid fly-fishers as an ardent response to one of their buddy's combat with brain cancer.

Seeing first-hand the constructive impact, the bunch created Reel Recovery to provide the same experience to other men contesting cancer.

Reel Recovery holds two and half day retreats where fly fisherman engage in what they call “courageous conversations.”

This is where men discuss cancer, share their experiences… and feel.

The retreats are free of charge (including meals, lodging and equipment) and are entirely donor supported.

Reel Recovery is important because it also gives novice fly-fishers the chance to try something new.

For some men, Reel Recovery might be their last good day outdoors.

In some cases, Reel Recovery has lost men within weeks of an outing.

Ninety percent have never fly-fished, which shows how many people want too, but have never tried to learn.

All participants must have their doctor’s clearance and Reel Recovery makes sure they hold events with solid medical care nearby.

The outings pair each fly-rodder with a fishing buddy so each fisherman has a partner to teach and laugh with.

Stan Golub, Reel Recovery’s director, told me that Reel Recovery binds men together. No matter how ill they are, they keep fighting.

Golub says, ”they keep their hope and courage to keep with it, even when they want to give up.”

Cancer is not who you are. It’s simply a condition. Sometimes it’s a serious condition, but cancer’s enemy is faith. Its kryptonite is hope.

It is faith that saved my best friend, the Rev. Bobby Blevins, from dying of leukemia.

He never once worried about his bone marrow transplant.

He kept on fishing.

And years after being labeled with cancer, Bobby still out-fishes me regularly on the South Fork of the Holston River.

He breaks all the rules. He catches and releases more trout than anybody I have ever seen fishing a dry fly “wet” and twitching it downstream.

Making me laugh, he also gets more use out of a leader than anybody, replacing it every month whether he needs to or not.

What Bobby doesn’t know is I don’t come down to see him for the fishing.

I come for the faith, the conversation, the friendship, the honesty.

Bobby’s stamina has amazed me and it has taught me that you only lose when you give up.

As I write this, my eyes are welling up, thinking of being in the examination room at the doctor's office with my father on the day he asked the oncologist, “Am I going to die?”

A lifelong smoker, card shark and golfer, Dad never set foot on the links again after hearing his sentence. He went home, went to bed, and never got up again.

If I had cancer, I would hope that my life would continue to include being on the water to give thanks for my life and ask my God for the courage to carry on.

I hope I could be like Bobby, like the men of Reel Recovery.

So far, Reel Recovery has eight scheduled outings this year.

They will be in Utah, Colorado, Nevada, California, Michigan, and Kentucky… and maybe someday soon in Southwest Virginia.

Please feel free to contact info@ReelRecovery.org if you are interested in being a part of their organization.