The state of Michigan is relinquishing its ownership of a unique artifact from the notorious Edmund Fitzgerald shipwreck, merely weeks after acquiring it through a settlement in a lawsuit that was entirely unrelated to the ill-fated vessel.
Larry Orr is set to reclaim one of the life rings from the ship, while the state will still disburse $600,000 to resolve his lawsuit concerning police misconduct.
“I feel a whole lot better,” Orr, 77, shared with The Associated Press this week.
In 1975, just eight days after the Fitzgerald went down in Lake Superior, resulting in the deaths of all 29 crew members, Orr reported discovering the life ring along with a piece of a lifeboat on the shore of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
“It was an eerie feeling. Maybe someone had survived,” he reminisced. “I searched for footprints or any signs of life for a while, but found nothing.”
Fast forward to this fall: Orr was negotiating a settlement with the Michigan State Police for a lawsuit. He claimed that Lt. David Busacca had infringed on his rights during a sexual abuse investigation that was ultimately discredited. Orr had spent five months incarcerated, in addition to being under house arrest, before the charges were dismissed in 2019.
During the negotiations, Orr and his attorney, Shannon Smith, noted that the state suddenly showed interest in the Fitzgerald life ring. Orr mentioned that Busacca was aware of his ownership when he came across documents during a search of his home in Michigan.
Orr felt as though he was being manipulated, yet he required funds to move out of a recreational vehicle in Yulee, Florida. Smith indicated that including the life ring in the settlement negotiations increased the amount from approximately $300,000 to $600,000.
“I believe we should have received a million for everything they put me through,” Orr stated.
The Associated Press was the first to report on this unusual arrangement on October 23. When representatives from state police were questioned about the appropriateness of the deal, spokesperson Shanon Banner said the department was “not comfortable.”
Further discussions among attorneys resulted in a revised agreement: Orr will receive the life ring back, while taxpayers will still be liable for $600,000 to settle the police misconduct case. Banner confirmed the terms this week.
For many years, Orr permitted the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Paradise, Michigan, to exhibit the orange ring, which bears the name “Fitzgerald” in stenciled letters. He is now considering selling it at auction.
Orr mentioned he is attempting to purchase a modular home, and his wife’s vehicle “is on its last legs.”
“I require all the funds I can gather,” he expressed.