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Hello Mr. Wilkerson,

My name is Katrina Fortner and I attended ISB from 1979 until 1983 along with my brothers Scott and Brian Fortner. I logged on to this website looking to initially find Mr. Joel Kabatznick, a previous faculty member when my brothers and I attended ISB. I would like you guys to place my brother Scott Fortner's information on this website. Scott died sometime in September 1983 in Hong Kong when the sailing vessel he was crewing on capsized during Typhoon Ellen. We don't have the date he died because they searched for any survivors for about a month after the storm and what was actually found was not recognizable due to decomposition in the ocean. Dental records were used to identify his remains. My brother was very well known and liked at ISB and whenever possible I am looking to give memoriam where it is deserved. My brother was a hero until the end of his life and bless his heart he never got to hear anyone tell him that. He was a very special guy that deserves recognition. Thanks for allowing me to share this information.

Sincerely,

Katrina Fortner

Thanks so much for responding quickly. My brother Scott Fortner graduated from ISB in June 1982. He attended ISB from 1979 until 1982 when he graduated. My parents flew him back to California following his graduation to attend college however because he had never been away from family and he was by himself in the states, he really had a hard time adjusting and so my folks flew him back to HK to live with us and that is when he got the job working as a crew on the OSPREY which was anchored in Repulse Bay. He was so very happy and proud to be working on that boat. The sad part was that he had only been working on the vessel for a little over 2 weeks and hadn't even received his first pay check. I was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to get a tour of the ship the day before the storm came. A true hero he was for giving his jacket and life vest to the only shipmate who survived because that is who Scott was. He would give the shirt off his back to to anyone who truly needed it. Thank you so much for doing this. I'm sorry it took me this long to find this website because this stuff had been on my mind because recently, this past Easter my father also passed away after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis. My dad was quite well known in Thailand as he was the Officer in Charge of the US Immigration Service at the American Embassy in Bangkok from 1979 until 1982. I was very saddened to see on the website that Mr. Joel Kabatznick also passed away. He was Scott's favorite teacher as well as mine. My whole family knew him well and he had come to our house for dinner on several occasions. Anyway, I do really appreciate your correspondence and plan to pursue trying to find some of my other classmates from ISB.

Sincerely,

Katrina