The Stranger in the Lifeboat

www.ajpdf.com
News
ANCHOR: Memorial services are being held today for billionaire investor
Jason Lambert, who disappeared along with more than forty others when his
luxury yacht, the Galaxy, sank in the Atlantic Ocean last month. Our Tyler
Brewer has more from the site of today’s services.
REPORTER: That’s right, Jim. The US Coast Guard officially declared the
Galaxy lost at sea following twenty-six days of exhaustive search and rescue
attempts. It is believed that the yacht blew apart after some kind of explosion
or impact. The cause remains unknown.
ANCHOR: Tyler, the list of those lost is extraordinary, isn’t it? A former
president, world leaders, captains of industry, popular entertainers.
REPORTER: That’s correct. Perhaps because of that, there are calls from
foreign governments to investigate the cause of this tragedy, to ensure that it
was not in some way politically or financially motivated.
ANCHOR: But first, I imagine, comes the solemn tradition of funerals, made
more painful for the lack of the actual bodies.
REPORTER: Yes. Here, at the memorial for Jason Lambert, there will be no
casket or gravesite ceremony. He’ll be remembered by friends and family,
which include three ex-wives and five children. We’re told none of them will
be speaking, only his longtime business associate Bruce Morris.
Jason Lambert, of course, was a controversial figure, an extremely
wealthy man who seemed to enjoy showing the world his fortune. He grew up
in Maryland, the son of a pharmacist, and started his working life as a
vacuum salesman. Within three years, he took over the business. He soon
leveraged his company to buy others, eventually earned a master’s degree in
finance, and started his now-famous mutual fund Sextant Capital, which has
grown to the third-largest fund in the world. Among other holdings, he owned
a movie studio, an airline, a professional baseball team, and an Australian
rugby club. Lambert was also an avid golfer.
The Grand Idea was Lambert’s final creation. It was hailed by some as
visionary, and criticized by others who saw it as a frivolous gathering of the
rich and powerful. Of course, no one knew what a dark turn the voyage