Four-Year-Old’s Message-in-a-Bottle Sparks Global Friendship

Quick Smiles:

• A four-year-old boy from England becomes pen pals with a woman 4,000 miles away.
• Ford’s message-in-a-bottle adventure started during a family vacation in Barbados.
• Ford was thrilled to receive a reply and wondered if he needed to send another bottle back!

During a delightful family vacation in Barbados, four-year-old Ford Thomas embarked on a whimsical adventure by casting a message-in-a-bottle into the vast North Atlantic Ocean.

His letter, which included his dad Joe’s email address, a couple of his drawings, a beach rock, and a photo of himself, set sail on March 7.

Joe, Ford’s dad, estimated the chances of receiving a response to be a mere three percent.

“After he threw his message into the sea, I looked online and saw that there was around a 3% chance of it being found,” Joe shared.

He even speculated that the bottle might drift past St. Lucia and head toward Portugal or Morocco.

The family had all but forgotten about the bottle until, nine days later, Joe received an unexpected email.

The message began with, “Hi there, Ford. You look handsome and I love your stone, as well as your colored picture. My name is Zaina and I am from the breathtaking island of St Lucia.”

“I couldn’t believe it,” Joe said. Ford, upon hearing the news, was so thrilled he covered his mouth in disbelief and promptly asked if they needed to send another bottle back.

Zaina’s email was a treasure trove of information, revealing her hobbies, which included reading, cooking, and coloring.

She also shared that she had four dogs, eight cats, and a fondness for the Disney movie “The Princess and the Frog.”

Now back home in the UK, Ford and his family have been exchanging emails with Zaina, discovering shared interests and building a unique friendship.

With Joe’s father owning a home in Barbados, the possibility of meeting Zaina on her island remains a tantalizing prospect.

“My wife and I talked about how it doesn’t matter what creed, class, or place you’re from, the joy of finding a message-in-a-bottle is universal,” Joe reflected.

And who knows, maybe this spring break, more families will be inspired to embark on their own message-in-a-bottle adventures.

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