Disabled angler keeps catching bass and winning tournaments
Eddie Camara of Shawnee won last weekend's Paralyzed Veterans of America bass tournament
Eddie Camara of Shawnee keeps winning fishing tournaments on the Paralyzed Veterans of America Bass Tour.
Camara, who is afflicted with muscular dystrophy, won his second PVA event of the year last weekend, capturing the individual open competition in the Land of Lincoln tournament on Rend Lake in Mount Vernon, Ill.
Camara, who was the PVA champion in 2005, has won two of three PVA events this season, capturing the team competition with his South Carolina partner on the tour’s first stop in March on Clarks Hill Lake, Ga.
The PVA tour is for anglers with disabilities. Camara was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy in 1991 and helps raise money for research.
In fact, he won a bass boat at the Land of Lincoln tournament but wants to raffle it to raise money for his church and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
On June 12, Camara plans to fish in the annual “Big Catch” tournament on Lake Thunderbird to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
“I want to raise more money for the MDA than any one individual has ever raised,” said Camara, who was honored by the MDA in 2007 with the “Robert Ross Personal Achievement Award” because of the example he sets for others with disabilities.
Camara has limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, a progressive neuromuscular disease that causes weakness and wasting, starting in the muscles of the shoulder and pelvic areas.
Friends lift him in and out of his bass boat, and he uses a special seat on rollers that moves back and forth on a metal bar to help him maneuver from bow to stern.
Three events are left on the PVA Bass Tour this season, including the season ending tournament in Oklahoma.
Camara, a member of the North Oklahoma City Bassmasters Club, said he likely will skip the PVA tournament on the Potomac River, but will fish in Texas and in the tourney in September on Fort Gibson Lake, one of his favorite fishing holes.
“I don’t know how many tournaments I’ve won on Fort Gibson, so I am looking forward to that one,” he said.
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Comments
Way to go Eddie or should I say Mr. Camara. I bow my head and wave my arms your way. Keep up the good work and maybe one day I will be able to fish the tour again.
David Stewart
San Antonio, Tx
great story, eddie you keep having fun fishing. i love fishing too. good luck too you. GOD,S SPEED. sincerely ou-johnny in texas.
Congratulations Mr. Camara on your win in the Land of Lincoln tourney. You are an inspiration to all of us. Keep on fishin’ and winnin’. My dream is to one day, be a tournament fisherman and your story gives me hope to keep on reaching for my stars. Thank you.
Todd Thacker
OKC, OK