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A life spent outdoors ended far too soon
Jesse Heller, killed in an auto accident three weeks ago, had a passion for hunting and fishing during the 17 years he lived.
Doug Smith, Star Tribune
Last update: June 03, 2006 – 11:29 PM
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Jesse Heller

Jesse Heller was born to hunt and fish.
"He just loved the outdoors," his dad, John Heller, said last week. "It's our family's passion; it's what we love to do."

And at just 17, the Coon Rapids youth packed more hunting and fishing into his short life than many folks do in a lifetime.

So it was no surprise that family and friends wore camouflage clothing and blew duck and goose calls at his funeral last month.

Or that they buried his ashes in a bluebill decoy, along with his duck calls and a Ducks Unlimited magazine.

Or that the family plans to spread some of Jesse's ashes at his favorite fishing and hunting spots this summer and fall.

"He's going to be a little bit everywhere," his dad said.

And now the family is hoping to raise funds to start a scholarship program at Blaine High School, where Jesse was a junior, or to purchase some wetlands that could be preserved and perhaps converted to public hunting lands as a memorial to Jesse's love of waterfowling.

"I want his legacy to live on," said John Heller, 49. "He was a special kid."

Jesse was killed when the pickup truck he was riding in was struck by a Jeep on May 14 -- Mother's Day. Jesse's cousin, Riley Moe-Wolfe, 20, of Columbia Heights, who was driving, was seriously injured.

The driver of the Jeep, Lawrence A. Maxcy, 51, of Mound, was legally drunk and fleeing police when he sped through a stop sign at 60 miles per hour and collided with the pickup, according to the police complaint. He has been charged with fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle resulting in death and criminal vehicular injury.

Maxcy was being held in Ramsey County Jail last week in lieu of $500,000 bail.

Hardcore hunters

"He was born into a family of hard-core hunters and fishermen," John Heller said of Jesse. "Our passion is in the outdoors."

So John and Dawn Heller's kids, Jesse, John, 22, and Dawn, 20, spent much of their free time outdoors.

"They started hunting and fishing with us as soon as they could crawl," John Heller said.

Jesse fished salmon in Lake Michigan. Kamloops in Lake Superior. Muskies on Mille Lacs. And other fish near the family's cabin at Longville, Minn.

They hunted deer near International Falls. Geese near Roseau. And ducks and geese in North Dakota.

"He was a waterfowl hunting fanatic; it was Jesse's favorite," John Heller said. "He hunted every weekend of the duck season. He could tell you exactly how many days it was until the opener."

He was allowed, with permission from his teachers, to take a couple weeks off school each fall to duck and deer hunt.

"We always considered it a very important part of his life," his dad said.

Jesse also was involved in a hunting and fishing ministry at his church. "He helped teach many kids how to hunt and fish," his dad said. "He loved doing that."

John Heller figures his son likely would have pursued a career involving the outdoors -- maybe a wildlife biologist or a game warden.

The walls of Jesse's bedroom speak to his passions: There's the mounted northern, largemouth bass and kamloops. The camouflage wallpaper. The numerous framed photos of him with fish or game.

An unusual send-off

John Heller said 850 people attended Jesse's funeral -- a ceremony that he acknowledged was a bit unusual. Dozens of people wore camouflage.

"Every time it got a bit too somber, we gave some duck calls to let everyone know Jesse was in the house," John Heller said. "It was a different kind of funeral, but that's what Jesse would have wanted."

It also was a celebration.

"We had a party -- a birthday party and a graduation party in his honor," he said. "He would have been 18 on June 10."

The tragedy underscored how fragile life is, and how suddenly it can be taken, Heller said.

"Love your kids, spend time with them, because there are no guarantees," he said. "I thought something like this could never happen. But it can, and it does."

Meanwhile, Jesse's death won't stop family and friends from pursuing their love of the outdoors.

"We'll go on with more gusto. He would have wanted that," John Heller said.

But it won't be easy.

"He was my hunting buddy. I'm going to miss him."

.....når bare man har nok penge og krudt.....så går det ikke aldrig helt galt :-)

Favourite Quote: Vi løser ikke vore problemer ved at tænke på samme måde, som da vi skabte dem.....(Albert Einstein)