The Warrior Memorial Reefs Foundation was honored to host a celebration of life event for Mark Phillips, a dedicated Public Safety Diver and 33-year veteran firefighter, whose cremains will be respectfully placed within his custom-designed artificial reef by his son, Chris Phillips. The ceremony took place on July 4 at Lighthouse Marina in Panama City Beach, commemorating Mark’s extraordinary life and service to his community.
On June 3, 2025, Mark’s friends from Dive911 and North Florida Diving Services, with support from Point South Marina at Bay Point, successfully deployed his 3,000-pound, 8ft by 8ft by 8ft raw steel artificial reef into the Gulf waters. The reef, a lasting tribute to Mark’s legacy, features a Public Safety Diver emblem, meticulously plasma-cut by Steve Harman of Harman Metal Arts, based on a design by Kevin Angelilli of Tristar Scuba.
Gretchen Theodorou, Vice President of Warrior Memorial Reefs Foundation, reflected on the June 3rd deployment, “This was over a year in the making, and really the brainchild of Mark’s friend, Buck Buchanan. He reached out to us, and we just wanted to help him make Mark’s reef and the Public Safety Diver reef a reality.” Indeed, this is the first of many Public Safety Diver reefs to be deployed. The Warrior Memorial Reefs Foundation has a fund set up, through the WarriorMemorialReefs.org website, specifically to grow this reef.
“So many people came together to help get Mark’s reef deployed, like Mark’s friends, Public Safety Divers Buck Buchanan, Justin Hembrock, and Robert Smith. Then, we had Ben Perry, Justin Bannerman and the folks from Point South Marina at Bay Point, who not only staged the reef, but they also went above and beyond any of our expectations. We had Chantille Weber making sure that everything was deployed properly. Craig Cowdell, Captain of the Colorblind, was essential in our location and team success. Tow Boat US helped us tow the three-thousand-pound reef out to sea. And of course, Mariano Lorde of Lordelife Cinema captured everything on film. We are so honored to have such a wonderful group of people, with such determination, on our team,” stated Theodorou.
The Warrior Memorial Reefs Foundation is proud to facilitate this meaningful event, which not only honors Mark Phillips’ remarkable contributions as a firefighter and diver but also supports marine conservation through the creation of sustainable artificial reefs. These reefs provide vital habitats for marine life, while also reflecting on Mark’s commitment to protecting and serving his community.
