One Last Wave

Three-hundred-sixty-five.

When Ralph Fatello stands tall atop the Hampton waves Tuesday, that number will be etched in the minds of everyone watching as Fatello gives one final salute to a 5-year-old girl who is gone but far from forgotten.

Fatello has caught at least one wave every day since July 26, 2010, as part of a yearlong tribute to Molly Rowlee, a Hampton girl who lost her bout with cancer in July 2009.

Every day. Not just once in a while, not just in the summer -- every day, regardless of weather.

Fatello, the commander of the local American Legion post, has enjoyed using one of his pastimes to honor Molly and raise money for charity, although he said knowing the end is now four days away is also "bittersweet."

"The whole thing is sort of a surreal feeling because there have been so many little stories that intertwined throughout the year that happened that are all part of same journey and mission," said Fatello. "It's hard to describe. I'm glad it’s over and I'm looking forward to going home [Tuesday], but I'll miss everything that has been a big part of my life for the past year."

Fatello's "Catch a Wave for Molly" ends with one last ride -- with a salute, something Fatello does during each wave to honor Molly and others -- on Tuesday at 6 p.m. on North Beach near 10th Street. 

The effort has served as a fundraiser for the Molly Fund, a nonprofit that was started by Molly's parents as a way to help families pay for their children's cancer treatments.

Fatello, who blogs daily about his surfing, also similarly rode 365 days in a row 10 years ago to raise roughly $33,000 for the American Diabetes Association in memory of his deceased father, who died due to diabetic complications.

Fatello said it's been an "honor" to revive his tribute ride, this time for Molly with the blessings of her parents, Buck and Meighan, although he said not everything has been pleasant.

New Hampshire winters are far from forgiving, and Fatello said battling the snow just to get down to the beach, the frigid water once he got there, and illnesses like a 20-day December stretch with bronchitis made the surfing difficult.

The most difficult day, though, came on May 6. The cold surf looked promising, although Fatello's trusty surfboard Big Black unexpectedly shot out from under him and hit him in the face, giving him a concussion and nearly doing irreparable harm.

"If it was a quarter of an inch over, I would've lost my eye," said Fatello, who was bleeding heavily after being sliced by his board, which broke during the impact with Fatello's skull.

Fatello was OK, though, and after several stitches and hours in the hospital, a male nurse helped him devise a way to continue surfing despite the wound thanks to a waterproof adhesive bandage.

The day could've been a dark time for Molly's tribute, although Fatello said he doesn't see it that way because the accident paved the way for one of the most uplifting moments of his life.

Big Black was fully repaired and ready to go on May 15, so Fatello took the board out for the first time since the accident on that cold, rainy Sunday.

Needless to say, Fatello was nervous.

"I went back to same same spot I got hurt riding the same board," said Fatello. "I was kind of 'uptight' about it. There was this deluge of rain... but when I paddled [out to the first wave], I felt this wave of confidence and calmness."

Fatello wasn't quite sure what made him feel at ease, although he said he "stopped dead in [his] tracks" later that night when he viewed a picture of the ride captured by a friend's cell phone.

Fatello expected to see himself in his typical salutary pose in the grainy photo, although much to his astonishment something appeared to be right behind him during the ride.

"It looks like a little girl is standing behind me with her little hand on my back," said Fatello, the awe still apparent in his voice months after viewing the picture for the first time. "There's no doubt in my mind it's Molly. She was with me."

The moment has served as a symbol for Fatello, who each day before entering the water had placed his hand over a spot on the beach wall where Molly's name is etched in wax.

It was Molly reaching out to Fatello, almost as a supportive "thank you" for helping her and other children like her. Fatello said he'll always cherish that moment, which has served to inspire many to donate to Molly's cause.

Fatello said he expects to raise somewhere in the "tens of thousands of dollars" for the Molly Fund, although he said recently he won't have a final number until well after Tuesday is over.

While Fatello has started a tradition with his ironman rides, which often include salutes to family members and friends, he said he's not sure if he'll be up for another in 10 years because he'll be 70 years old.

"I always joke with my friends and family, 'If I ever do this again, you have permission to hit me in the head with a baseball bat or a golf club,'" said Fatello laughing. "It's not like I'm giving up surfing, but there are things the human body just can't do at 70."

Fatello hasn't completely ruled it out, although he said his main focus is just finishing the weekend strong and getting ready for what he expects to be a large turnout Tuesday afternoon.

More information, as well as a plethora of pictures of the tribute rides taken by Fatello and others, is available on Fatello's blog and his website.