Evan Isbell
SHEFFIELD-Evan Isbell loved the outdoors, helping those in need and befriending new students at his school.
Isbell was 16 when he died in an automobile accident on June 23, 2015. His legacy for helping others and his love of fishing now lives on through the Red Warrior Foundation.
The foundation’s mission is to impact lives through Christ in the memory of Isbell, who was the son of Ashley and Connie Isbell of Tuscumbia. The foundation’s core values are to restore, to encourage and dedication to helping others.
“Evan enjoyed helping people in the community,” Ashley Isbell said. “He always looked forward to taking the kids from Camp Courage and from Timmy Horton’s Fishing for Kids fishing. Since he left us, numerous kids that he went to school with have come to us and said that when they moved to Muscle Shoals, Evan was first person who came up to them and
Tim Horton and Evan Isbell
befriended them. Anytime someone needed help, Evan was there to help.”
In keeping with Evan Isbell’s desire to help others, the Red Warrior is providing college scholarship, assisting Shoals resident needing help and supporting projects that benefit the community. Money for the scholarships and other assistance comes from a fishing tournament, an outdoors expo and donations.
The Red Warrior River Rumble bass tournament is safelight until 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27 on Pickwick Lake out of Riverfront Park in Sheffield.
Chase Murphy, a close friend of Evan Isbell who is helping organize the bass tournament, said it is a great way to honor the memory of his fishing buddy.
The bass tournament features divisions for youth anglers who fish from boats piloted by an adult and separate divisions for the boat captains and adults. Entry fee is $50 per boat. Entry forms and rules and are available at FishPickwickLake.com. For more details call 256-702-6761 or 256-383-0783.
The 2nd Annual Evan Isbell Outdoors Expo is Saturday, Nov. 13 at Launch Point Church in Tuscumbia.
Susann Hamlin, president and CEO of Colbert County Tourism and Convention Bureau, a sponsor of the Red Warrior River Rumble, said the fishing tournament and outdoors expo help preserve Evan Isbell’s love of the outdoors.
“Evan was such a nice young man. “He always had a smile on his face when he was helping children learn how to fish,” Hamlin said.
