A family is reunited with a tribute bank that was blown into the sea during stormy weather after it had made a 75-mileage journey over the Irish Sea.
The seat to commemorate the life of Father William Batcock collapsed in the water when Storm Darragh hit the country on December 5, 2024.
Batcock died in 2018 at the age of 68, only 18 months after he was diagnosed with leukemia.
Because he was an avid outdoor person, Mr. Batcock's family put his name on a couch overlooking the sea in Anglesey, Wales – his ordinary caravan vacation spot.
His family had no idea that the bank had blown away until January 28, when daughter Helen Wharton, 45, received a Facebook message stating that it was found 75 miles away in Drigg, Cumbria.
Mrs. Wharton, from Warrington, Cheshire, said: 'I couldn't believe it at first. We didn't know it was gone.
'We had visited in the summer, but had not succeeded in going back to it since then. It was a total surprise. '
Mrs Wharton, who works for a computer repair company founded by her deceased father, immediately replied to the message.
A family was reunited with a tribute bench blown into the sea during stormy weather after it had made a 75-mileage journey over the Irish Sea (depicted: the sofa on the Zeewant)
William Batcock (photo) died in 2018 at the age of 68, only 18 months after he was diagnosed with leukemia
The Finder, Megan O'Gorman, 37, then returned to where the bank was washed up, tied a rope around it and brought the inland.
Daughter Mrs. Wharton said: 'She was so sweet. She literally said 'give me half an hour and I will see if it is still there'.
“She went back, she took a rope, she tied the couch to her back and wore him back to her car and took it back to her house so that it was safe.”
Engraved on the couch is a rule from a poem written by Mr. Batcock that says: “For me it must be the sea.”
Mrs. Wharton added: 'We certainly said it is a sign.
'There have been so many weird coincidences. We think “does he try to tell us something?” '
She said about her father: 'He was just so sweet, he really was. Everyone who ever met him said how beautiful he was.
“He was so talkative, he would talk to everyone. He made friends wherever he went, he was always chatting.
Batcock (photo) was an avid outdoor person who liked to walk and climb, says his daughter
His family had no idea that the bank had blown away until daughter Helen Wharton, 45, received a message stating that it was found at 75 miles away (shown: the bank on the Zees)
Engraved on the couch is a rule from a poem written by Mr. Batcock that says: “For me it must be the sea”
Mr. Batcock's family put his name on a couch overlooking the sea in Anglesey, Wales – his regular caravan vacation spot (photo: the original place of the couch)
Now, Mr Batcock's family plan to travel to Cumbria during the half period to meet Megan O'Gorman and bring the bank home (shown: Mr Batcock Hiking)
Now, Mr Batcock's family plan to travel to Cumbria during the half -time to meet Mrs O'Gorman and bring the bank back.
The broken sofa will be brought home and converted into a garden function, while the local AMLWCH Council is organizing a replacement to go on the coast again.
“He just loved life, he absolutely loved life. He loved walking, he loved being outside. He was really active, he loved climbing, “said Mrs. Wharton.
“He was really like my best friend, we climbed together every week. He just loved life. He was certainly taken too quickly.
'When he was treated in the hospital, they said he was the strongest 68-year-old they had ever treated.
“It just shows, you never know what's around the corner.”
