Message in a Bottle Travels Thousands of Miles, Carrying a Husband’s Ashes
A Florida hotel owner discovered a poignant message in a bottle washed ashore on Key Colony Beach, revealing a decades-long love story and a unique final journey for a man named Gordon. Judi, the hotel owner, found the bottle while collecting beach debris and discovered it contained not sand, but the ashes of Gordon, a man who shared 70 years of life with his wife.
A Wife’s Touching Tribute
Gordon’s wife, residing in Tennessee, had placed his ashes within the bottle, along with a heartfelt message and two dollar bills. She explained that her husband loved to travel, and this was her way of sending him on one last adventure. The bottle embarked on its journey from Big Pine Key in March 2012, traveling to Islamorada where a previous finder added a note before sending it onward.
A Journey Completed
After years at sea, the bottle finally reached Key Colony Beach, where Judi discovered it. She contacted Gordon’s wife in Tennessee, who was overjoyed to learn of her husband’s travels. Judi plans to add her own note to the bottle, along with an additional dollar for further travels, and will host a memorial service or celebration of life on the beach before releasing Gordon to continue his journey. The bottle was initially placed in a bottle of rum as a symbolic gesture.
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