Beloved Fresno County ferry captain did one last heroic deed before death
A longtime ferry captain at Fresno County’s Lake Thomas A Edison saved passengers from danger before his sudden death in late August.
Perry Harris, the ferry captain from Peoria, Arizona known by thru-hikers as “Paint Your Wagon,” died Aug. 22 while on duty. He was 68.
Harris, also known as “Paint,” had long been popular among Lake Edison’s thru-hiking community for his cheerful personality and reliable service. Hikers fondly recall Harris roll calls of passengers by the lake at dawn, and bringing hearty laughter and jokes around campfires at dusk.
In his final moments, Harris remained at the helm and successfully averted an accident, saving every passenger on board.
On the afternoon of Friday, Aug. 22, Harris’ ferry boat struck a submerged rock. He steered the damaged vessel to the shore and safely disembarked all passengers.
Shortly afterward, Harris collapsed due to an apparent medical issue, according to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.
Harris received CPR from on-site personnel and was transported to the nearby Vermilion Valley Resort, where he was pronounced dead , said Tony Botti, spokesperson for the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.
The Vermilion Valley Resort shared the devastating news on social media a day after the incident.
“He went doing what he loved: serving hikers on Edison Lake,” the resort said on Facebook. “His joyous/intense energy, welcoming spirit, and dedication to the backcountry will never be forgotten.”
Hikers mourned Harris’ death, writing more than 300 messages in memory of their captain.
Jill Dutton Kirkland, who rode Harris’ ferries four times in the past five years, recalled her air mattress deflating one recent summer while hiking on the John Muir Trail. As she took the ferry across Lake Edison, she asked fellow hikers who were exiting the trail if they could sell her a pad. Harris immediately offered his assistance.
“Captain Paint immediately said, ‘I’ve got you covered!’” Kirkland wrote on Facebook. “He had me follow him to his trailer, where he pulled out his pad and gave it to me. What a generous soul! What a lucky person I am to have something in my possession that belonged to him.”
Erin Miller, a camper who spent some nights at Edison Lake, said she Harris had a memorable and “contagious” laugh.
“I wish I would had used my phone to record Paint’s laugh echoing through the canyon at midnight as we were getting snuggled into our tents. It was better than good music. It was contagious. It was a hit from the best kind of dopamine,” she wrote.
Harris used to remind people to lower their voices around the campfire after 10 p.m., but would end up being the “loudest, jolliest one cracking the jokes and telling his captivating stories,” Miller said.
Miller said her most unforgettable moment was the evening of July 29, when she spent her last night by the lake and Harris passed out beers and shared jokes with visitors around the campfire.
“We were laughing so hard!” Miller wrote. “What a great man.”
