JANESVILLE, Wisconsin (8 Dec 2002) -- Roger Hanson and John Kurtz took turns pounding a pressure tank against the ice at Kiwanis Pond, smashing a hole large enough to scuba dive through. "Mike would have liked this," Hanson said, pausing to catch his breath. "This is his tank." Dr. Michael Black, 48, a Janesville ophthalmologist and Hanson's best friend, has been missing since Nov. 18, when his vehicle and empty boat trailer were found at a Milwaukee pier along Lake Michigan. Friends held a memorial service for Black on Saturday afternoon at Kiwanis Pond, one of Black's favorite diving spots and his last diving spot. Hanson said Black's last dive was Nov. 16 at Kiwanis Pond. "He was my best friend in the world," Hanson told the 27 other people gathered for the ceremony. Hanson and Kurtz later donned scuba gear and dove below the 3-inch-thick ice to place four of Black's trophies--three for tennis and one for cross country skiing--at the bottom of the pond in Black's memory. Hanson, a former Janesville teacher who now lives in California, said he last talked to Black by telephone Nov. 17. "He told me he was going to go out on Lake Michigan, take the day and go cruise the coast," Hanson said. "He's never been seen since." Hanson called Janesville police Nov. 20 and asked them to check on Black because he couldn't reach him by phone. Police found that Black's home at 104 Glenview Court, Janesville, was empty. His vehicle and 18-foot boat were gone. "Milwaukee PD found the vehicle and called us," Janesville police Sgt. Rick Larson said. "We got the Coast Guard involved to see if they could find him or his boat, but no luck." | | Hanson said Black is considered lost at sea as of Nov. 18. Beth Urban of Madison had dated Black and said that, in addition to scuba diving for 25 years, Black was an avid cross country skier, tennis player and bicyclist. Urban said Black passed on his passion for diving to his brother and two nephews, who are close to being certified divers. Black's mother is in a nursing home, Urban said. Black also was vice president of the Four Lakes Scuba Club, headquartered in Madison. Michelle Roberts of Madison said Black was known as "Mountain Mike" in cycling circles. "He could just zoom forever and do endless endurance," Robert said. Hanson told how Black had found a wallet containing $400 while diving at Lake Geneva. He returned the wallet and the cash to the Illinois man who had lost it while swimming. "Mike was that honest of a person," Hanson said. And he was safety conscious. "He drove me insane talking about safety," Hanson said. Hanson agreed that taking an 18-foot boat out onto Lake Michigan in November is "pushing your luck," but he dismissed the suggestion that Black's apparent death was anything but an accident. "That's not Mike," he said. SOURCE - Janesville GazetteSCUBA FORUMDISCUSS THIS TOPIC - Dive in and have your say at Scuba Forum |
