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.
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.
Katrina