Spaghetti feed fundraiser planned for shooting victim

Colleen Slater, KP News

David Long, victim of the Lake Kathryn shooting in August, remains in the hospital with serious medical concerns.

Because of the shooting, Long lost a kidney and needed a tracheotomy. He’s currently in Regional Hospital in South Center, but will be transferred to a Gig Harbor facility when he’s stable.

Long, 40, raised in California, broke his arm at age 11 and went into a coma from an allergy due to the anesthesia. He also suffers from phenylketonuria (PKU).

Heidi Michaelson, Long’s sister, describes him with affection as a “Rocker, Harley, Horse,” she said.

She said her brother enjoys heavy metal music and playing the guitar, and would love to have his own ranch and be a cowboy.

Long enjoyed his job working with Harbor Mobile Crew landscapers and liked to keep his own yard neat, she said.

Claudia Jones, who first met him when he moved to the Key Peninsula said that “David is a sweet, kind man.” They renewed their acquaintance when she began working at Lake Kathryn Peninsula Market while he went through her casher line. That’s where he was when the shooting occurred.

Jones and Cost Less employees Nadean Hopper, Ian Warren and Gina Menard are organizing a spaghetti feed and silent auction to cover some of Long’s medical and personal expenses. It will be held from 4-8 p.m. on Oct. 6, at the KP Civic Center.

Roger Gemelle and Rusty Roots Bluegrass will provide live music.

Tickets are available for $10 per person, $30 for a family of four, or donations for kids under age 5.

Store Operations Manager Kip Bond said The Food Market is donating spaghetti and sauce, and United Salad will provide the salad. Peninsula High School football players will be serving the dinner.

Tabletop-sized silent auction items are being collected and can also be taken to Purdy Cost Less before Oct. 2 and left (for Ian) in the pharmacy. Call (253) 988-1463 about auction item pickup or (253) 884-2054 for event information.