Alex Carson
Ken Watson
Mr. Watson was a wonderful man from Cardiff, Wales. He spent most of his life working as a salvage diver. During his career, he recovered parts of ships, airplanes, and other structures that had sunk in the water years earlier. He liked to call himself an adventurer, which he was. His neighbors loved to hear his adventures.
Many Interests
Mr. Watson loved to go out with his metal detector searching for what he called treasure. He also loved to listen to classical music and opera. He often did woodwork, he played the accordion, and he was an election canvasser. Also, Mr. Watson never missed an episode of the Great British Bake Off. He was so busy with his many hobbies that there were times when he would go a while without speaking to anyone.
Losing His Wife
When Ken’s wife passed, he says that it took him a long time to settle. He always felt that there was a space around him. He could still hear her voice speaking to him. And he tried not to let his wife’s death consume him, so he needed to find a reason to get out of the house. Being the adventure junkie that he was, he decided to jump out of a plane. The first time he went up, he says that he felt a rush of air. He went up a second time, and he says that this was the best. He said that the second time he jumped that he thought he was an eagle.
A Daredevil
When Ken was 85 years old, jumping out of a plane wasn’t enough. He wanted to do something more daring, so he charted a small stunt plane. He got on top of the upper wings and stood on top while it soared through the air. This is a daring stunt for a young man. To do it when he was 85 years old is incredible.
Owen and Caroline Williams
When the Williams family moved in next door to Ken, they had heard from other neighbors about his adventures. They couldn’t wait to meet the man himself and get to know him better. The stories were incredible, and they wanted to hear his stories for themselves.
2014
Own and Caroline had a young daughter named Cadi. The day after the family moved in, they were outside, and they heard him working on a ladder. The family and the dog went to see him and introduced themselves. When they introduced themselves, Ken came down from the ladder wearing overalls. He came down and gave their dog a biscuit, and she took to him right away. When they introduced Ken to their daughter, Cadi, Caroline says that there was a sparkle in his eye. The feeling was mutual, and Cadi adored him.
100-Years-Old
Ken said that Cadi’s youth brought him incredible joy. He loved the time that they spent together, and he told her parents that he wanted to live to be 100 years old so that he could see Cadi grow up. For four years, the Williams family stayed close to Ken. They loved to hear his stories, and Cadi loved to play with him. Sadly, when Cadi was two years old, Ken passed away. The family was devastated.
Going Through the House
After Ken’s death, his son Ian was tasked with packing up his home. When he was packing things up, he found something that his father had left for his favorite neighbor, Cadi. There were 14 things left for her, to be exact. The instructions that Ken left told him to deliver all 14 packages to his neighbors and make sure that they look inside.
The Gifts
This elderly man’s gesture catches his neighbors way off guard. When Ian arrived at their door, he handed Owen a large sack. When he looked inside, he saw that there were 14 wrapped packages all for Cadi. Ian told the family that his last wish was to put a smile on Cadi’s face one more time.
Moved
The family was incredibly moved by Ken’s kind gesture, and Caroline started to tear up. She couldn’t believe what an impact on their family, especially Cadi, had made on him. They decided that they would give Cadi one gift every Christmas for the next 14 years. The first book is a children’s book, called Christmas Even at the Mollops, by Tomi Ungerer. The book was about four brothers in search of the perfect Christmas tree for their family. Own and Caroline figure that their daughter will grow out of the gifts before they are opened, but they want her to remember opening the gifts. She may not remember the man who was her best friend when she was two-years-old, but they are going to make sure that she hears all about him. Everyone who knew Ken agrees that he was an amazing man.
