The family of 39-year-old, Brian Mullins, decided to commemorate him by sending him away on one last epic journey.
A tow truck driver from Garland, Texas, felt the best way to commemorate him would be to send him away on one last journey since the thing he adored most was being free.
His mother, Darlene Mullins said, “He was an avid fisherman. He wanted to travel the world.”
But he was never able to go ocean fishing — so his family decided to put his remains in a bottle to cover the call for anyone who found that.
Mrs. Mullins, who was unable to make it possible herself, gave the bottle to relatives in Florida to set the bottle free into the ocean. But it was later washed ashore to the Florida Panhandle beach, ending up in Sgt. Pendleton’s possession after it was reported to the authorities.
And having lost her husband just a year ago, Pendleton was very emotional while reading the notes.
“I sat in here, in my patrol car, and cried like a baby,” she said.
After that, she knew it was up to her to help and reach out to an acquaintance of hers who owns a charter boat. She then asked him to take the ashes far off the coast so they can travel far just like the family intended.
The note inside the bottle read:
“Hello, this bottle contains the cremation ashes of my son, Brian, who suddenly and unexpectedly passed on March 9, 2019. More than anything, he longed to be free, so I’m sending him on one last adventure. This bottle was launched from Destin, Florida. If you find it, please call or text me and let me know. I have left $4 to cover the call. Feel free to add your own note, then kindly set him free once again. My son was 39 years old at the time of his passing and he was deeply loved. Please keep him traveling. Blessings”
She knew that she had to help to continue his journey and returned it to the Gulf of Mexico.
The second part of the letter was from Brian’s daughter:
“Hi, my name is Peyton. I am Brian’s daughter. When my father passed, I was 14-years-old,” the message read. “It has struck our whole family pretty hard and, so far, it has been a very hard road. But, like my granny said, he loved to be free. So, that’s exactly what we are doing.”
And no, I’m not crying *YOU’RE* crying.