Ken found an extraordinary JUNONIA! I introduced you to Ken on my last post “Saving Another Sanderlin…Andy!“…. but remember I told you things were getting a little crazy? It’s because I was listening to Ken’s heartwarming story of his JUNONIA when all of our iLS worlds collided. Now that you’ve heard about Alyssa’s SANDERLING, I have to share the story of this extremely precious JUNONIA…
Ken’s sister Chris introduced the family to her passion of beach combing while on their annual visit to Sanibel. After being on the beach with Chris the first time, Ken’s wife Sue understood why her sister-in-law loved shelling so much and became hooked right away so she tried to get Ken to shell with her with no avail…..at first. This is Ken and Sue…
Ken thought shelling was more for people who just liked walking on the beach until…. you ready for this? Sue called Ken over to the computer one day to show him all the cool stuff Clark finds on the beach then she showed him Donnie’s shell posts on iLS too. An “Aha moment”! He started to get it. He finally realized it’s all about the treasure hunt! Now he’s a sheller and it all began with his sister Chris sharing her passion.
Donnie, Ken and Clark
Then Sue said to me… “Our family love love loves your website, including Ken’s youngest sister and our shelling buddy Chris. Sadly we lost her in August, at age 38 to ovarian cancer. The last time we saw her, I whispered in her ear that we would think of her every time we were shelling, and if there was a way for her to communicate that she was OK, she could guide us to a junonia. In the fall, her sisters sprinkled some of her ashes in the Gulf off the Lighthouse Point. On Tuesday morning, the fist day of Ken’s shelling vacation, he waded out in front of the Light House and found a beautiful junonia. The following morning he found an angel wing in the same spot. While it was a bit emotional when he first found it, we have been grinning from ear to ear since!
This is the same photo (Sue took the picture) I showed you on my last post when I said things were getting a little wild. Somehow, this photo makes a little more sense to me why all of our worlds were brought together at this very moment. Alyssa found another Sanderling while Mother Earth Marilyn was there again for the rescue….. then ME Marilyn was there to witness the heavenly JUNONIA being found….. when one of the reasons Ken was inspired to shell was because of Clark and Donnie…. then Karen shows up with her iLS shirt to explain how we all know each other… then Andrea joined us because it makes us realize all of these people are part of our iLoveShelling family. Bonded by the beach.
OMG – MAJOR goosebumps. I could almost cry hearing that story. Amazing.
Oh WOW, what a touching blog today! I cried when I read about Chris’ passing, and then again at her way of communicating that she was OK. :)
What a wonderful and sentimental story!
Pam, I don’t think you realize how many lives you touch in such a positive way each day.
My day starts with a cup of coffee and your iloveshelling site.
All I can say……Thank You!!
A really great story, Pam….thanks for sharing.
That is one of THE most beautiful, but crazy stories ive ever heard! It is VERY obvious she was watching and smiling down on everyone as it all unfolded! I am the most envious of all your loyal readers every time I see you and Clark with your found treasures (especially junonias). But this story has brought my envy to a whole new level……hearing from a passed loved one in the most spectacular way!
great story! hope to bump into you next week when we come down.
What an awesome story…Chris was truly sending a message to her family.
Thanks for sharing.
What a great story………needed to hear that today…thank you!
what an amazing story…
Love!
What a great time I had meeting everyone while I was there. Unfortunelty I did not have the great luck as Ken did but Clark did give me a Wental Trap. Still need to find my own. I had great luck yesterday at Blind Pass wading in the water in the rocks on the the north side of the bridge. I will be back sooner than later. Thanks for the great site.
OMG……that is crazy. That junonia is beautiful. The story even more so.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!
Thank you,
xoxo
What an awesome story…so glad this world has gotten smaller…and so glad I met all these fine people :-)
Congrats Ken for your find of the Junonia….and at the same time I am sorry for your loss. Angels do have wings.
Simply Beautiful.
A smiling (with a side of tears) story for sure!
Oh my what a wonderful story. Thanks so much for sharing :)
Goosebumps and tears in my eyes!! Your site is about so much more than shelling, and shelling is about so much more than fun on the beach! There is no such thing as a “coincidence” and we are all here, at this time, and in this place, for some reason that is bigger than ourselves. God bless you all!!!
I’m with you Anna, there’s a reason for everything. There were so much meaning in this short moment that I was afraid I couldnt explain (yall know I’m not a real writer) just how many lives were intertwined in this story. I’m happy that yall “get it”.
The world does get smaller everyday, doesn’t it? Pam, your blog has brought so many people together who share a love of the beach and SHELLING!!!!!
Chris provided the family with a spectacular reminder/keepsake that she is ok! And that she did indeed get her angel wings! A very impactful story…they are very blessed.
And that, right there, is why I love to shell.
Just proof that Sanibel is a little piece of heaven on earth.
What a wonderful memory for that family. It touches a lot of people.
Thanks for sharing :-)
That is such a beautiful story. Our loved ones who have passed are certainly lingering close, wanting us to know they love us and this story is the sweetest example! And really, what a gorgeous Junonia! Straight from heaven, for sure. Thanks for sharing this Pam :)
nature ties people together in so many ways. finding the junonia for ken, i am sure, was so much more than finding a shell but a tangible memory of his sister. a beautiful one at that. just like a rainbow was for my husband of his sister. she died several years ago from breast cancer in february here in portland oregon. the day after she died, right in front of our house…..a rainbow. he burst into tears not something i have seen him do more than a couple times. just before she passed he had asked her how he would know that she was okay. a rainbow. i had goose bumps because i had never seen a full rainbow in february. ever. so i will be at that light house next month, for the first time, and will remember chris. i’ll be happy just to find any one of the sanibel collection.
Oh Judy, thank you for sharing your story too. The beautiful signs of rainbows and junonias.
hope i get to meet you while on the beach!!!!
When I first opened the iLS webpage today I was so excited to see my dad’s picture at the top and glad to see it looks like he is having an AMAZING trip to Sanibel this month! Although, can you ever have a bad trip to Sanibel? ;) This coming April I will be bringing my baby boy down for his first trip. I am so excited to introduce him to the beaches my family (and all of you!) love so much, and to tell him stories about Chris and her shells. She was able to hold him just one time this past August, when he was three days old, but bought him a great outfit for shelling at the beach :)
Enjoy your shelling everyone!
Amen to all of the above posts……tears from your story Pam and especially after reading all of the posts. I truly believe that Chris sent Ken to that exact spot and he was meant to find that JUNONIA and the angel wing. God Bless he and his family.
oh my God what a touching story! it seems their is always a symbol in nature for a loved one, this is such a sad but beautiful story and it made my day so much better! thank you for sharing it! my sympathy for your loss Ken and Sue but at least she’s letting you know she’s ok!
Another example of how the beach and Mother Nature bring us together. Nice.
It really does just keep getting better! And with blogs…we can share! I love this! ♥
Reading your story tonight along with all of the comments has really touched my heart. It is comforting to know that so many of us share the love of Sanibel and the sea and all the treasures brought to her shores. The first time I set foot on the island 15 years ago I felt the magic and it has only grown over the years.
Ken, my deepest sympathy to you and your family. I know that between Chris and Sanibel you will have the love of the treasure hunt and the sound of the waves with you always. Katherine
I’m speechless. Beautiful story. And wonderful that Pam was there to capture the story to share with the rest of us.
I only have one word for that story—–AMAZING!! Thanks for sharing.
Ok Pam, I am crying. Thank you for sharing the story.
My heart goes out to the family.
Pam, you have touched so many lives in so many ways. As if for every sea shell you touch that’s how many human lives you touch & the love grows within the ILS family.
I wish we could plan an ILS family reunion one year, how about it. I’ll help plan. Would any shellers be interested??
Thank you Pam!! Xoxo
Mary Ann
yes! that would be cool! im new on here but i love how we all share this great hobby ive never been to sanibel but im planning for a trip next year! it would be fun to meet everybody!
Yes! We would love to be at an ILS reunion! What a wonderful way to meet each other & celebrate friendships.
I truly believe in signs from the departed people that we love. This story about Chris made me cry, but I’m so glad you shared it. Thank you again, Pammy, for bringing us all together thru your blog. — SS Marcia
I can relate to this beautiful story and truly know how Ken felt when he found that beautiful shell in the water. We took my mother’s ashes to the lighthouse and spread them in the water (her wish) years ago. She always loved a nice cold beer after a day of shelling. She introduced me to Sanibel in the 50’s and we came by ferry. To this day I never go to Sanibel without sharing a beer with her at the lighthouse. And she always rewards us with the most beautiful shells. I can feel her spirit when I am crossing the causeway – my home away from home. She is truly a Sanibel Angel.
What an amazing, outstanding story. It brought tears to my eyes.
Pam, I have been trying to organize my thoughts and put into words, the amazing feelings and experience of Saturday, and you did it perfectly! I am so glad everyone’s shelling worlds collided that day.
If you look back to when you began, could you ever have imagined how iLS has evolved? Not only do you fill our lives with the beauty of the beach and shelling, you have fostered a wonderful shelling community. I know it takes a lot of time to run the blog. Please know that we appreciate, look forward to, and enjoy each and every one of your posts.
To everyone who has posted kind thoughts of Ken, Chris and the shells, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. This past week has brought us unbelievable fun, friendships, joy, and peace.
What an inspiring, emotional story. Thank you for sharing it.
Pam I was there when this story unfolded and I could not have worded it as beautifully as you did. You say that you are not “really a writer” but a true writer has the ablilty to pull us into the story and you certainly did that with this one.
I went to CROW to make a donation for red tide victims and said that your blog prompted me to do so. When I said I Love Shelling and Pam & Clark Rambo everyone there knew you guys! As I have said before you are Sanibel’s unofficial ambassador. I told so many people about your website that I think next year I am going to make up cards with http://www.Iloveshelling.com on them so that I can just hand them out when I recommend your site.
Who would have believed that Clark and I grew up five miles apart in NJ?
I just got home last night and already miss Sanibel. I will have to rely on your blog for my Sanibel fix. Mother Earth Marilyn