By Trilogy Team
Joyce, a resident at The Willows at Harrodsburg, was spending time with her grandson when he told her a story. Recently, he had ridden on a special kind of roller coaster – one that plummeted straight into the water. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he recounted his wild ride. As Joyce listened, she couldn’t deny her own desire to have the same adventure; she had never been on a water coaster before! After mentioning how much she would love to experience it, the team at The Willows knew they had to make it happen for her. With the accompaniment of her daughter, Carol, and their Life Enrichment Director, Kayla, they headed to Kentucky Kingdom to make Joyce’s wish come true!
Once at Kentucky Kingdom, the group went straight to Mile High Falls, the park’s towering water coaster. As they walked up to the ride, they watched passersby get drenched as passengers crashed into the water at the end of the ramp. There wasn’t one person, including Joyce, who wasn’t smiling ear to ear. When it was finally Joyce’s turn, she and her daughter hopped into the boat together.
Carol and Joyce sat close as they got settled into their seats. Before they knew it, they were off! The moment was finally here! The coaster began to work its way up the ramp. They waved to Kayla, who had decided to stay on a bridge at the bottom of the ride and film Joyce’s experience. Their anticipation built as they neared the top. Joyce beamed as the boat crept closer and closer to the big fall. And then, suddenly, Joyce was zipping down the ramp, living her dream! As she crashed into the water at the bottom of the ride, not only did she and Carol get soaked, so did Kayla!
Walking away from her first experience on a water coaster, Joyce was very proud of herself. She had loved every minute of the ride and was overjoyed to have had the opportunity. After conquering Mile High Falls, it was time to celebrate. What better way to do that than with a chocolate ice cream swirl! Once the celebratory sweets were finished, it was time for the group to go home. Joyce returned to The Willows with a very special story – one she couldn’t wait to share with her grandson.
Thank you to the staff at The Willows, and to everyone at Kentucky Kingdom who helped make Joyce’s dream come true!
