July 21, 2016 — Jon and Melinda Popham got married aboard the Melinda Ann, a former pleasure craft that Jon had converted into a lobster boat. He named it for his bride, and planned to build their future on it.
“He told me he wanted me to stay home and raise our (2-year-old) son, he was worried about making sure we had the best of everything. He loved (fishing) and he was doing well, he told me this year would be epic,” Melinda Popham said Wednesday.
The Popham family’s dream life was shattered Saturday when Jon Popham, 28, of Machiasport died after falling out of the Melinda Ann near Jonesport. Although the Coast Guard hasn’t released many details about the accident, Melinda Popham said Wednesday that her husband was apparently pulled overboard and dragged under the water when his foot got caught in the line of a 15-trap trawl. One of his sternmen, Timmy White, dove in with a knife to try to cut him free.
By the time White and the other sternman, Jesse Frisbee, had pulled Popham out of the water, he was unresponsive. His crew gave him CPR, as did a Coast Guard rescue crew. The Melinda Ann was 2 miles from Jonesport when the accident happened early Saturday afternoon.
Melinda Popham sobbed at times Wednesday while recounting the details of her husband’s death. But her mood brightened somewhat when she talked about how funny he was, how hardworking, and what deep faith in God he had. She said he would want people reading about his death to know how important his faith was.
“He always said he wanted to go out with a bang,” Melinda Popham said. “He’d be proud to know he could share his faith with people.”