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Man Travels 500 Miles for Grandfather's Lifeboat
2 Jun
Summary
- A man traveled 500 miles to visit a lifeboat named after his grandfather.
- He discovered the lifeboat's temporary location via social media.
- The lifeboat honors his grandfather, a longtime supporter of the charity.
Karl Williams embarked on an extraordinary 500-mile round trip from Stockport to Queenborough, Kent, all to visit a lifeboat bearing his grandfather's name. He discovered the vessel, Eric's Legend, serendipitously through a social media post.
The lifeboat, named in memory of Eric Hester who passed away in the 1980s, was temporarily docked at RNLI Sheerness. Williams's mother had initiated the process for the lifeboat to be named after Hester, a dedicated supporter of the lifesaving charity.
Williams learned that the lifeboat was a relief vessel, meaning it could be stationed anywhere in the country, making a visit highly unlikely. However, an advertisement for an open day at the neighboring town by Sheerness RNLI, which he saw on Facebook, provided the perfect opportunity.
He described the journey home as feeling short due to the shared conversation and emotions. Williams highlighted the long-standing family commitment to the RNLI, a passion he inherited, recalling childhood memories of being fascinated by lifeboats.
