To the Last Eddy and Beyond
Many people reading this may or may not be familiar with the death of British kayaker Jason Raper. Jason was a good friend and paddling buddy of mine, and a good friend to many in the paddlesports world – a lovely lad on and off the water, with a talent for kayaking and having a good time.
Sadly, we lost Jason in an accident in Norway on 23 June 2012 an accident that shocked many and changed our lives forever.
Anne has written this memoir to honour Jason’s life and as a way of documenting Jason’s legacy. It opens by discussing Jason’s upbringing and how he developed a love of kayaking. As you read through the book, it celebrates Jason’s life, with chapters about charity paddles and adventures, and then moves on to details of Jason’s accident and the aftermath.
There is something for everyone. Having been lucky enough to call Jason a friend, I still learnt about his past, and the book allowed me to understand and recap the events from another person’s perspective in detail. This book has been well received by many and offers something for everyone, especially those who may have lost friends and loved ones, whether related to paddlesports or not.
Anne say, “To The Last Eddy & Beyond is about the life of my son Jason Raper. This is a true story of how my son grew up from being a quiet child to being a popular character, who was liked, admired and respected by so many.
“Jason took up Kayaking at the age of 13 and became an inspirational figure in the kayaking community. His attitude, commitment and dedication created an interesting character with great values and a positive outlook on life. Life was good until 2012 when Jason had a fatal accident at the young age of 19.
“The book is explicit about the accident and gives an account of the impact the accident had on me and so many other people and describes how it changed our lives forever.
“The aim of writing the book was to keep Jason’s memory alive and to share his story of a life well lived with others and inspire people to chase and fulfil their dreams just as Jason did.”
Anne has done an amazing job of what must have been a difficult book to write, and Jason would have been super proud.
Price: Paperback £14.99. Hardback £18.99
