Mobility issues plague many people. They can be minor, causing a slight limp and requiring a cane, or catastrophic, requiring a motorized wheelchair. People commonly strive to live a fulfilling life when faced with decreasing mobility. Sometimes, that means hopping on a scooter and going to the same restaurant daily. For others, it means getting rolled into the sunshine on a nice day.
For two gentlemen and a wheelchair-bound woman in her 70s, the day would take a surprising twist. To set the scene, the three were lunch patrons at a hotel pool-side bar. The lady and her caregiver were daily customers. They struck up a conversation, and she was happy for the company. They briefly discussed some of her health issues and that she was working on to increase her mobility.
The woman explained that she was raised in the Midwest, but had no remaining family. When faced with mobility issues, she decided to move to Hawaii and live the remainder of her days in the sunshine near the ocean. Her primary goal was to walk again to get out of the motorized chair and walk into the ocean. Even though the group was about 100 feet from the waves, she had never been in the ocean!
Our hero asked the lady if there were medical reasons besides her mobility issues keeping her from going into the ocean. After a brief discussion, they determined that nothing was holding her back except being unable to walk. This man, identified on his TikTok channel as Mistah Mean, then asked the woman if she wanted to go into the ocean today.
What was he thinking? She hesitated a bit, being that she had just met this man. Our hero wasn’t being pushy, but he was willing to assist her in fulfilling her dream. Just then, the bartender swooped in. He’s been serving her daily for a while. He gently leaned in and told her, “You most likely won’t ever get another opportunity like this.” On hearing that, she accepted the offer from our hero. And just like that, our hero and another gentleman turned themselves into a human Hoyer lift!
Our hero and his assistant made the woman’s dream come true! She was able to stand, holding onto her two “transport technicians.” For the first time in her life, she was in the ocean!
After “swimming” in the ocean, our mobility-challenged woman was able to stand on the beach for pictures. What a beautiful way to fulfill lifelong dreams.
But that isn’t the end of the story for our hero. He chronicled the day and added his thoughts on what this meant for him. You can watch the entire progression and read his insights. It is an inspiring story.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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