One of the best parts about my crazy adventures and travels, are the people that I get to meet along the way. I had the privilege of riding Cedar Point’s newest thrill ride Valravn on opening night….. but I had the even greater privilege of meeting Violet while in line for the ride.
Why did meeting Violet excite me just as much as riding a brand new roller coaster?????
This was my first time attending the preview of a new coaster at Cedar Point and I really didn’t know what to expect that evening. I asked the man behind me in line if he had attended similar events in previous years and that’s when he shared the incredible story behind why he was there.
He purchased tickets as an early Mother’s Day gift for his 94 year old mother. An extraordinary mother, who has been riding roller coasters for 78 years! Jeffrey has been riding roller coaster with his mom for the past 20 years after his dad, who also loved coasters, passed away. A ride on Valravn was the adventure she was looking forward to this year and Jeffrey helped make that dream possible.
You can see why Violet instantly became my hero!
I could only become braver after standing next to a woman in a wheelchair, who was excited to experience the brand new, 10 World Record breaking, tallest, fastest, longest Dive Coaster with the most inversions, longest drop and highest inversion.
I was so inspired by her example of choosing to live to the fullest her WHOLE life.
My friend and I stayed with Jeffrey and his mom until their grouping was called. We exchanged numbers so that we could get a report after her ride. I would have paid money to have sat beside her during that milestone moment!
Jeffrey reported back to us that other riders were kind enough to give up their place in the front row for Violet. He shared that Violet rode in the front row of Valravn and LOVED it!
What an incredible, priceless, unforgettable, early Mother’s Day gift her son shared with his mom.
So what does meeting someone like Violet mean for all of us?
We CAN STILL try new adventures!
WE CAN BE BRAVE!
We are NEVER TOO OLD for adventure!
Our actions can INSPIRE others!
We need to LIVE to the FULLEST every opportunity that we get!
It’s important to SHARE and CREATE memories with those you love!
AND
TIME is the most valuable gift that we can give someone.
If you are thinking about trying a new adventure, just remember how Violet was brave at 94 and you can be braver too!
If you want to share an incredible memory with someone you love, just think about the irreplaceable gift that Jeffrey shared with his mom and be inspired to make an experience gift purchase to share with someone that you love.
You can find out more about Valravn and the other incredible rides and attractions from the Cedar Point website.
Thanks again to Cedar Point for inviting me to be a part of this historic night. All opinions are my own.
Brilliant!!
Great story! We could learn many things from this epic moment. I’ll let you decide which lessons are obvious or not so obvious in this special event! I know it made me realize several life lessons upon my initial reading of this.