A social media Christmas post about 14 presents delivered to a family in Barry, Wales, has warmed the hearts of so many that it was selected as a Twitter Moment on Dec. 18.
Ken Watson, 87, had lived near Owen and Caroline Williams for the last two years, and was very fond of their daughter, Cadi. After Watson passed away recently, his daughter found 14 presents left by him to be gifted to Cadi over the next 14 years.
When Ken’s daughter brought a bagful of presents to the doorsteps of the Williams’ family, parents of the two-year-old Cadi were both shocked and moved.
Owen told the
BBC, “I brought it [the bag] back in and my wife was on FaceTime to her mum in Ireland. My wife started to tear up and I started to tear up, and her mum started to tear up.
“It’s difficult describing it because it was so unexpected. I don’t know how long he put them away, whether it was over the last two years or whether he bought them towards the end of his life.” Owen added.
Not long after Owen William tweeted his post on Dec. 17 telling the story, he created
a poll on Twitter asking people whether he should open the presents now and rewrap them, or simply pass on one present every year until her daughter’s 16th birthday without knowing what’s in them.
“My wife and I think it might make a nice Christmas tradition to give our daughter ‘a present from Ken’ for the next 14 years. Issue is, we really have to open them now. Nobody wants to give a fifteen-year-old Duplo!” Owen wrote in
a post, explaining why he wanted the public’s opinion.
The result of the poll shows more people think it’s better to leave them unopened. Some Twitter users give their reasons.
“You’ll have to open one a year. It’s what he intended, also a lovely way to remember Ken. Open them all now and those moments will be gone, never to be experienced #ImSoftLikeThat let us know what you decide,” Twitter user
Weston replied the poll.
Whatever the Williams decide, it will only affect 13 out of the 14 presents. Unable to resist, Owen had already teared away the wrapping on one of the presents, which was revealed to be a children’s book—Christmas Eve at the Mellops by Tomi Ungerer.
Owen also told the BBC that he could tell that some of the presents were soft toys or book without opening them.
In addition to Twitter, there has also been a lot of interest in the story from the media. According to
a tweet Owen wrote that his phone “hasn’t stopped ringing all day.”
Aware of the media interest, Owen shared some information about Ken on Twitter, such as how they were acquainted.
“The first time I met him, he was bouncing a 20ft ladder across the face of his house. He was on top. He was 83 at the time.” Owen wrote in
a post.
Ken wasn’t just a lovely old man who left presents; the former deep-sea diver continued his adventure well into his 80s.
In a report by
Barry&District News, the then 85-year-old Ken was skydiving and wing walking, and his actions were encouraging others to deal with loneliness by taking up challenges.
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