Fish in Peace, a nonprofit founded in memory of Mount Laurel resident Ryan Joseph Jastrzembski, will hold its fifth annual golf outing fundraiser at the Pennsauken Country Club on Monday, Aug. 3.
“Energetic, a sweetheart, he liked to bump heads with me,” said Ryan’s mother Kathleen. “He was his dad’s best friend. He was great with his friends. He was caring and he loved little babies for such a young kid. He loved his dog, who he has now.”
Affectionately known as Ry Guy, Jastrzembski was born the youngest of four in August of 2010. He loved family, friends, creatures, cars – you name it, but nothing compared to his love of fishing, which he got from his dad. Every day, he would jump on his bike before and after school to rush straight to his favorite lakes.
Jastrzembski often took boat rides for big catches, and at a young age, was able to tie knots, drive a boat and teach his elders things they didn’t know. He caught tuna, marlin, striper and bass, but his favorite catch was blue marlin. He always had a fishing pole in his hand and if not, he would use something makeshift to cast.
Jastrzembski would even visit Ramblewood Country Club in Mount Laurel to gather discarded golf balls, sort them out and sell them to make money for fishing supplies. He always helped out at home. If he saw a hurt animal, he wanted to heal it. If he heard a baby crying, he was right there to help.
Jastrzembski was loved by all, including his classmates, teachers and administrators.
“For my son, seeing everyone come together is heartfelt,” Kathleen related. “It’s very unique to be able to help other people because when it was my turn, the amount of people that came out … It’s my turn to give back.”
On Jan. 24, 2022, Jastrzembski was involved in a horrific bonfire accident. He was flown to a Philadelphia hospital by helicopter, and then by jet to Galveston, Texas, with burns over 95% of his body. Three days after the accident, he was taken to Shriners Burns Center in Galveston, 1,600 miles from home.
From the second Jastrzembski went into surgery, he began his healing process. He endured countless, painful procedures, but never gave up. His caring for his family, friends, his dog Dexter, other children in the hospital and staff who became family kept him fighting.
But he passed away on Sept. 2, two days after his 12th birthday.
Because they knew how much the hobby meant to him, Jastrzembski’s local fire department announced his passing by having “Fish on in Peace” displayed on an electronic reader board. When Kathleen saw that she was so struck by it that she knew the nonprofit deserved the name Fish in Peace.
Since its inception, Fish in Peace has offered scholarships to graduating students, sponsored youth programs, contributed to the Ronald McDonald House, donated to families in trying times and lent support to Shriners Hospitals for Children.
This year, it offered scholarships to 11 schools and matched Parkway Elementary School’s Fishing Derby Funds, which support the Ronald McDonald House. Fish in Peace has also provided families in the township and surrounding towns with funds for hardships they’ve endured.
While Jastrzembski’s passing never gets easier for his family, Fish in Peace gives them a purpose.
“I’m curious as to where my Ryan would be, if he would be as tall as his dad, and I would wonder about his teeth and what he would look like, things like that,” Kathleen acknowledged. “ … All he wanted to do was fish. He was outside, at all times, with a fishing pole in his hand since he was little.”
For more information on the golf outing or Jastrzembski, visit www.fishinpeaceryguy.org.
Fish in Piece, a nonprofit founded in memory of Ryan Joseph Jastrzembski, will hold its fifth annual golf outing fundraiser at the Pennsauken Country Club on Aug. 3. Affectionately known as Ry Guy, Jastrzembski loved family, friends, creatures and cars, but nothing compared to his love of fishing.
