Dr. Don's Eternal Reef Legacy

Don Swerida, known as Dr. Don , was bigger than life.  We suspect he died of a broken heart, just hours after losing his best buddy and pal, Rastafarian Nestle. He loved life, all creatures and had unsurpassed passion for veterinary medicine. He joyfully dedicated 6 days of his week working at the clinic, because to him his job was his life.  He selflessly lent his talents to the Big Cat Habitat and the Wildlife Center of Venice and other organizations, operating on everything from eagles to owls, herons, turtles and even fish.  All who met him were immediately magnatized to his personality. Dr. Don was never without a smile and a joke, and embraced life fully.  

Unfortunately, he never expected to leave thie earth so soon. And although he often spoke of being eternalized as a living reef, he never made arrangements to have this wish realized. As a final tribute to his legacy we would like to fund his memorialization as an eternal reef.

An Eternal Reef is a designed reef made of environmentally-safe cast concrete that is used to create new marine habitats for fish and other forms of sea life. Eternal Reefs takes the cremated remains or “cremains” of an individual and incorporates them into an environmentally-safe cement mixture designed to create artificial reef formations. The Eternal Reefs are then placed in the permitted ocean location selected by the individual, friend or family member. Eternal Reefs are permanent additions to the marine environment and serve to help preserve, protect, and enhance the oceans’ health.