Blake Sewell (right), pictured with friends (from left) Tyler Fecyk, Keenan Currell, Dustin Currell, died in 2016 at the age of 26. A wrestling event on Aug. 31 will raise funds for a memorial bench for Sewell. (File photo)
By Dale Boyd
Osoyoos Times
A local man is looking to honour the life of his friend and volunteer firefighter in Osoyoos, and entertain the town with wrestlers flying off the turnbuckle at an upcoming event.
Osoyoos man Tyler Da Costa is bringing Thrash Wrestling to the Osoyoos Legion on Aug. 31 as a fundraiser for a memorial bench honouring the life of his good friend Blake Sewell.
Sewell died in 2016 at the age of 26, battling a number of medical issues over the years leading up to his death. He was praised as an “honourable and trustworthy young man,” by his manager at Buy-Low Foods at the time.
“We grew up together, we went to daycare together. We were good friends. He was a different person, a really good person, a very empathetic person,” Da Costa said. “He would drive me home from the bar, drive me home from a party. He would play video games with me, we would have video game marathons all night. He was a good guy and a good friend.”
However, Da Costa’s request to town council for an unspecified donation was met with some hesitancy by councillors.
• Read more: Blake Sewell fondly remembered as ‘best friend you could ever ask for’
Coun. Myers Bennett appeared to take a moral stance against wrestling, drawing some discrepancy with past town sponsorship of other entertainment events like car shows or Music in the Park.
“My problem with this is the Town of Osoyoos sponsoring a wrestling match. I understand I would really like to see a bench put up for this young fella. Maybe we can take the money and donate it in his honour to the people putting the bench in rather than sponsoring a wrestling match,” Bennett said at the regular meeting Monday.
However, Da Costa clarified to the Osoyoos Times, he is looking for any amount for the bench and any level of sponsorship from the town to honour Sewell.
“I’m not asking them not to necessarily sponsor the wrestling event, but he was a volunteer fireman for you guys, could you maybe give $100 to the memorial bench? Not the full amount,” Da Costa said.
Council did ask for more details, and noted that town staff are working on a policy to address some of the benches in town which do not bear memorials.
Council asked for more details from Da Costa before moving forward.
“Like many other people in town I knew Blake quite well. Blake was very high profile in challenging councils on youth activities in our community and was steadfast and very forward in getting what he wanted to hear from council members,” Coun. CJ Rhodes said. “Regrettably there was no ask for an amount.”
Rhodes continued it would be hard to “cherry pick” an amount out of the air to sponsor the bench.
“It would have been nice to have those details, it would have helped us make a decision a bit better.”
Coun. Jim King said council might be willing to match costs raised by the fundraising event, but agreed they needed specifics.
Meanwhile, Da Costa is moving ahead with his plans regardless of council’s pedantics.
Thrash Wrestling’s “Over the Top” show takes place outside the Legion Branch 173 on 78 Avenue in Osoyoos on Aug. 31, promising high-flying wrestling action.
“It’s an exciting show, an exciting environment and the excitement of the match,” Da Costa said. “There’s a pageantry to wrestling, more than the choreographed moves. It’s an art to me.”
He added that he would like to put the bench honouring Sewell in Cottonwood Park.
“He had a spot, and I know everybody has a spot. But I think there is a space there we can put it. I would like to talk to the town, I will talk to the town so we can find a way to do that. It would mean a lot to me, and to his family too.”
Da Costa said he will be reaching out to the town to clarify his request following the meeting Monday.
Tickets for “Over the Top” are available at Osoyoos Home Hardware, Owl Pub and Unity Osoyoos.
