A Boat, A Blessing, and a Perfectly Timed Surprise
Here’s something to warm your heart and make you believe in more than just coincidence—straight out of our neighboring state of North Dakota via Walleyes and Wheelchairs.
It starts like this: a man named Larry, wheelchair user and outdoors enthusiast, bought himself a pontoon boat decades ago. He wasn’t just out on the water for fun—he was building memories, casting lines, and living life fully until his passing in 2012. But here’s where it gets interesting.
Instead of selling or trading in that pontoon, even after buying a new one, Larry’s family kept it. For more than 13 years, it sat unused—but not forgotten. They didn’t know why they were holding onto it. They just… did.
Fast forward to this year. Walleyes and Wheelchairs, an incredible organization that brings awareness to outdoor recreational access to children with adaptive needs and celebrates their achievements, hosted an event at a boat ramp. Not just any ramp—the exact ramp Larry used. And at this event, they announced they were in desperate need of a pontoon.
Here comes fate stepping in….
Larry’s family just happened to be there. Not invited, not scheduled. Just passing through. They didn’t even know what the event was for.
Same time. Same place. Same ramp. Down to the minute and the foot.
They heard the announcement—and instantly knew. That pontoon had a purpose again. It belonged with Walleyes and Wheelchairs. And just like that, the boat Larry once used to fish and explore became a gift for others to do the same.
This wasn’t just a donation. It was, as one of the donors put it in a heartfelt message:
“In no world can this be considered a coincidence… I believe with every fiber of my being that the reason this all occurred is because Larry looked down from heaven and made this happen.”
We are inclined to agree.
This was not the first act of kindness fueling the mission either. Earlier this year, a Missoula-based company, Aqua Creek Products, stepped up and donated two much-needed ADA lifts to Walleyes and Wheelchairs—yet another reminder that when people come together, amazing things happen. Read that article here
Together, these moments remind us that the most meaningful gifts often come without warning—from the sky, from the heart, or from a guardian angel named Larry.
