More than half a century after a near-tragic event changed the course of his life, David Blackmore has come full circle. Now 67, Blackmore—President of NewArts Toronto and a lifelong advocate for arts and community development—has reunited with the rescuers who saved him as a child. At just 10 years old, he disappeared from Toronto’s Cherry Beach in 1968 and spent a terrifying night alone, drifting across Lake Ontario in a tiny inflatable raft. He was found the next morning, cold and hallucinating, by a Canadian Coast Guard crew aboard the Porte Dauphine.
That harrowing experience would come to define his purpose. Blackmore, now a respected leader in Toronto’s nonprofit and creative communities, has dedicated his life to serving others—especially youth facing adversity. From grassroots arts programs to major fundraising initiatives, he’s built a career out of compassion, creativity, and a deep sense of duty born from survival.
This week, with family by his side, he returned to the same harbor where he was rescued 57 years ago. The reunion, organized by the Toronto Police Service, was deeply emotional. For Blackmore, it wasn’t just a gesture—it was long-overdue gratitude. “I don’t know if my parents ever sent that thank-you letter,” he reflected. “So I wanted to say it myself. I wouldn’t be here without them.”
Since 2024, Blackmore has led NewArts Toronto, a nonprofit that empowers marginalized communities through arts and education. Before that, he played a pivotal role at UrbanArts, helping to secure crucial funding for underserved neighborhoods. His career has spanned everything from major community fundraisers with Volunteer Toronto to landmark projects like raising over $1 million for a music and arts center in Cabbagetown.
In 2024, Blackmore published a memoir titled The Captain and the Kid, chronicling his survival story and how it shaped his view of gratitude, courage, and public service. Through this story—and through every initiative he’s touched—he continues to teach that life’s most difficult moments can spark lifelong purpose.
David Blackmore’s journey from lost child to community leader is more than inspiring—it’s proof of how one life saved can go on to uplift thousands more.
