Elderly Woman Asks Strangers To Help Dying Husband Surf One Last Wave
Most people have a bucket list — the experiences and adventures we all hope to check off before we leave this world.
If Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson have taught us anything, it’s that there’s no dream too big (or too small) when it comes to going out with “guns blazing,” as Nicholson puts it in the film appropriately titled “The Bucket List.”
What’s even more inspiring than having a bucket wishlist of your own is when those you love help you reach those goals, whatever it takes.
The wife of an elderly man with dementia did precisely that. She wanted her husband to have a memorable experience at the beach and she even got a group of young men to help her out.
Ryan Giancola happened to be one of those young men. He tweeted a video of the sweet moment he and his friends helped the senior go for the ride of his life.
How do those old Beach Boys lyrics go? “Catch a wave and you’re sitting on top of the world.” From the look on this man’s face when he’s on that bodyboard, he is definitely on top of the world.
“Yesterday an elderly lady came up to us at the beach and asked if we could help fulfill her [husband’s] wish to ride a wave one last time,” Giancola wrote on Twitter.
“She said that he is suffering from dementia and most likely has a year to live. What and amazing experience and on my birthday none the less!”
The tweet has since gone viral, with thousands upon thousands of comments, shares and likes. Many have praised the men and shared their own heartfelt sentiments. Plenty more have tweeted GIFs of people crying, only further showing how truly touching this moment was.
Yesterday an elderly lady came up to us at the beach and asked if we could help fulfill her husbands wish to ride a wave one last time. She said that he is suffering from dementia and most likely has a year to live. What and amazing experience and on my birthday none the less! pic.twitter.com/RW0rdhugK6
— Ryan Giancola (@giancola_ryan) July 17, 2019
“[S]o amazing… you brought me to tears,” one user wrote.
“The cool thing about helping folks out like that, is that you more than likely got as much out of it as that dear man did,” another noted.
“I can’t thank you enough for doing that!” one person said. “I can say from experience that it meant as much to his wife (in the never-ending, tumultuous role as care giver) as it did to him. TY for restoring my faith in humanity.”
— bashiri j jones (@bashi_designs) July 18, 2019
What a wonderful gift on both sides! No doubt this will be one of the most memorable birthdays of Giancola’s life. He and his friends are certainly inspiring to us all.
Liftable, a section of The Western Journal, reached out to Ryan Giancola for comment but has not yet received a response. We will update this article if and when we do.
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