Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce/FacebookFor many of us, our most treasured childhood memories involve days spent at the beach; hands sticky from a grubby combination of ice cream licking and sandcastle building.
Christmas mornings aside, there was no greater joy for me as a kid than when our family car turned a particular corner in Lytham St Anne’s and I could suddenly – incredibly – see the sea.
I therefore find it so bizarrely difficult to imagine having never enjoyed such days; never ran shrieking at knobby-knee high waves or vainly attempted to dig your way to Australia.
Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce/FacebookHowever, this was indeed the case for Howard Fisher, a 93-year-old man who – despite having lived in sunny Florida for 20 years – had never been to the beach.
As reported by Fox 13, Howard decided to mark his 93rd birthday with a long – long – overdue trip to the ocean.
Speaking with Fox 13, Howard’s daughter Sandra explained:
I guess he never went to the beach because he wasn’t motivated at the time! By the time he decided to go, he is now 93 – and needed my help.
Sandra, who lives in Alabama, had been visiting her dad for his special day, and was determined to give him the visit to the beach he had waited for.
Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce/FacebookHoward was initially concerned he wouldn’t be able to access the beach, but kind-hearted Sandra had everything under control.
The devoted daughter loaned a beach wheelchair and took her father out for a trip out to Anna Maria Island, a gorgeous barrier island located off Florida’s Gulf Coast. Howard couldn’t have asked for a more picturesque setting for his first taste of sea air.
Sharing their story on the Anna Maria Island Beaches Facebook group, Sandra said:
My dad just celebrated his 93 birthday and this is what he said…Dad: ‘Sandra, isn’t it ironic? I have lived here 20 years and never once went in the ocean….now I think I might like to but I can’t’.
Me: ‘Yes you can, dad. I will make sure of it’. What an amazing day we had!
There’s always something incredible happening out here on the island 🏖
Posted by Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce on Monday, 30 September 2019
Many parents make sure to capture their children’s first, awe-stricken moments at the seaside; all delighted smiles and floppy, oversized sunhats.
But for Howard and Sandra, it was the other way round, with Sandra being the one to document her father’s sense of wonder at finally being beside the seaside.
Sandra snapped a series of photographs which show Howard having an absolutely marvellous time; even managing to have a relaxing dip in the ocean. The smile on his face is kind of like all his joyful seaside memories have come at once.
Sandra told Fox 13 how her father had been absolutely ‘mesmerised’ as he floated in the ocean at long last:
[He said] Look, I float just like a cork, Isn’t this great? Look at that sky and those clouds.
Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce/FacebookPretty sure I’ve got a bit of sea salt in my eye…
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.