93-Year-Old Grandmother Visits All 63 National Parks With Her Grandson By Her Side
Traveling together is a surefire way to strengthen your bond for better or for worse sometimes. Though vacations and trips are sources of joy, they can also be sources of stress, stress that can easily explode into something much worse if not kept in check.
Despite that risk, traveling with someone is still well worth it, as the sights you'll see and experiences you'll have will connect you two together for a lifetime. That exact opportunity was given to a family duo after they traveled all over the country together.
You, too, can channel joy into your life using this powerful yet simple concept, the Law of Attraction, creating extraordinary experiences along the way.
By tuning into the frequency of your true desires, you can achieve an abundance of wonders that goes beyond your wildest expectations. Learn how the Law of Attraction has the potential to shift your life for the better!
Been All Over
The desire to travel around the world is one that a lot of us have. If it didn't take up so much time and money, we'd all be hopping from country to country, relishing in the beautiful sights we couldn't find in our own home cities.
What could make that journey around the world even better? Doing it with those we love. Either a group of our closest friends or the family members we cherish most, we'll want someone to come along with us for our travels.
A Pair Of Best Friends
Which is exactly what one stellar pair got to do. Joy Ryan is a 93-year-old grandmother who had a goal to visit each and every one of the American national parks in her lifetime. Now, there's 63 of those parks, so it would be no easy feat to visit them all, but luckily she had the best travel partner she could ask for, her grandson!
Brad has accompanied his grandmother to every park on her list, calling their adventure "the greatest privilege."
Far And Wide
Their first park was the Great Smokey Mountains National Park in Tennessee, which they visited in 2015. Now, almost eight years later, they finally finished their journey together by visiting the National Park of American Samoa, the last park on Joy's list.
Though bittersweet, the two have been celebrating all they've done together, which has made waves online as people eat up this adorable story.
Brad told Good Morning America the story about this final trip. "We departed from our hometown of Duncan Falls, Ohio at 3:00 am on Saturday," he began.
Their Longest Journey
"We took a two-day break in Oahu before boarding our final flight to Pago Pago, American Samoa, on Monday. Three flights and nearly seventeen flying hours were required before we touched down in American Samoa on Monday evening."
Their travels have been documented on the Instagram account @grandmajoysroadtrip, which now boasts just over 80k followers.
It features plenty of photos of the two, always sporting bright smiles as they capture the country's most beautiful scenery.
All They've Seen
Not to mention the amazing things they saw that weren't captured on camera.
As Brad described in his email, "During our first day of exploration, we admired a colony of flying foxes (fruit bats) dangling in the tree canopy above us. A couple of them took off flying, and we were awestruck by their three foot wingspan."
"We drove down a rugged road and then hiked to a secluded beach with a breathtaking view of Pola Island, which rises 400 feet out of the bright blue waters of the South Pacific. The sound of crashing waves was almost deafening."
It Meant So Much
But, of course, all journeys must come to an end.
"Reaching our 63rd and final U.S. National Park is bittersweet, with an emphasis on the 'sweet,'" Brad described. "Standing at the finish line in American Samoa affirms that seemingly impossible goals are in fact possible if you pursue them with passion and pure intention."
This trip was particularly sentimental as it took place just a week after the death of Brad's father, who was also Joy's oldest son.
Inspirational Feats
Despite such a dark time for them both, Brad believes that Joy's continued optimism and enthusiasm is a source of inspiration for many.
"Grandma Joy has taught the world that you are never too old to show up and live the adventurous life of your dreams," he said. "It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be in the driver's seat as Grandma Joy made history to become the oldest person to achieve this historic feat."
On The Horizon
Their travels aren't ending here either. Now that they've conquered the national parks, they plan on taking their trips international, with one of their trips already booked.
"Now that we have visited every U.S. National Park, we have our eyes set on the world, hopefully reaching all seven continents," Brad Ryan wrote. "We are headed to Kenya for a National Geographic expedition in July. I wouldn't be surprised to see Grandma Joy flying through space or walking on the moon. This is what 93 should look like if we're lucky enough to live as long as she has."
By challenging limiting beliefs and dedicating themselves to their ambition, this grandmother and grandson have demonstrated how we can all make growth and discover freedom that translates to success, and you can do the same from home!
Don't miss your opportunity to join them by just taking 20 minutes of your time. Break free from your limiting beliefs and unlock your true potential. Don't wait—start your transformation today!
