Archives for January 2013

CLEARWATER — 

A Bay area woman is turning a personal tragedy into something good.

Logan Kushner, 19, drowned nearly a year ago after using synthetic marijuana.  Since then, his mother, P.A. and her husband have created a charitable foundation in their son’s honor.

On Saturday, dozens turned out for a flag football tournament at DiMaggio Complex in Clearwater, where Kushner spoke for the first time since his death.

“It’s amazing to see all his best friends and all the others who jumped on board to support this,” Kushner said.

The teen died last January while home on Christmas break. Officials said he drowned in 14 inches of water after trying a form of synthetic marijuana that was legal at the time.

That synthetic marijuana is now illegal, thanks to a state law signed in April.

Logan Kushner was a standout student-athlete who would try to help others, his mother said.

“He never missed an opportunity to be there for someone else,” she said.

To honor his life, the Kushners, along with her son’s friends, launched the non-profit “I’m Logan It” for others to learn from his mistake.

“When we first started talking about it, we didn’t know how many people would come out,” Logan’s friend Carl Stippert said. “And to see this many people come out to support the cause is great.“

Logan Kushner was the quarterback of the flag football team “Shake That Bear,” and his friends said they couldn’t think of a better way to kick off the foundation.

“I think he’s watching down on us and he’s proud of it,” friend Jared Stippert said.

With $25,000 already raised through the foundation set to go to scholarships and charitable organizations, the group said they are off to a good start to “Logan It.”

“This is all about what he would be doing if he were here today,” P.A. Kushner said.

 

By Ashley Jeffery, Reporter
Central Florida News 13