His name may be Kerry, but from now on, we’re just going to call him “Pop.”
Three years ago, Kerry Haulotte started working on an unusual project that he told next to no one about. He wasn’t sure it would even work, so he didn’t want to tell anyone until he could test it out. If successful, Kerry dreamed of bobbing around Lake Michigan like a human cork.
Yes, you read that right! Kerry spent 3 years, or around 130 hours, building a floating suit made out of 1,150 wine corks!
“Other than my wife Jamie, I kept the project a secret for the entire creation time, fearing that I may not finish the project or that it would be a massive failure,” he said.
Kerry intended to bring the suit along on boat outings on Lake Michigan, and after years of drilling 3,450 holes through hundreds of corks, he was finally ready to don his 13-pound floating suit for its maiden voyage. Stepdaughter Haley Buntrock recorded Kerry’s launch, and the video was an unexpected viral hit on TikTok.
Kerry deemed the suit a complete success! Not only did he enjoy bobbing around in his cork suit, he let others give it a try as well. Everyone who has floated in the suit signs and dates it, too.
“I admit I was afraid people would think I was absolutely nuts, and while that may be true, it turns out people really loved it,” Kerry said. “It has put a smile on the face of everyone observing, and all that have floated in it.”
Kerry was surprised but thrilled by the internet’s positive response to his suit, and Haley says she couldn’t ask for a cooler stepdad.
Watch Kerry launching his cork suit in the video below, and don’t forget to share.
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