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It’s awesome when older people still love to travel, have adventures, and generally make the most of their retirement – and this grandmother totally fits that bill. She and her son were in Iceland so that she could “experience the nature and beautiful scenery,” according to Buzzfeed, but the older lady might have gotten just a bit more than she bargained for in an iceberg shaped like a throne.
The story comes by way of her granddaughter, a 24-year-old English teacher living abroad, who couldn’t resist sharing the hilariously harrowing tale the way her father relayed it to her over text.
Image Credit: Twitter
The two were visiting Jokulsarlon Lagoon, in the southeastern part of Iceland, with guided tour group when Streng’s grandmother spied the throne-shaped piece of ice and decided it was ripe for a picture. She posed and had her son snap the image, but before she could get safely back on dry land, the ocean stepped in.
Image Credit: Twitter
“She ascended the throne after a wave had pulled back and left it briefly exposed on the beach. Then a wave washed in and dislodged the ice throne, rocking it from side-to-side,” texted her son to her granddaughter. “When the wave retreated, it lifted the dislodged throne and carried her out with the tide.”
Luckily, she was able to stay firmly planted on the piece of ice and avoid a dip into the icy Nordic waters, but an official rescue did have to take place to return her to safety.
Image Credit: Twitter
Licensed boat captain and water rescuer Randy Lacount – a Florida native – happened to witness the entire freak incident and stepped in right away.
“He just happened to be onshore when the whole thing occurred, so he waded out into the rolling water and pulled her off the iceberg as it drifted out to sea, supporting her until they reached the shore,” Streng’s dad reported.
Image Credit: Twitter
Thank goodness for people who are on the ball and ready to splash into freezing waters.
Thank goodness for grandma’s willing to go to any length for the perfect vacation photos, and most of all, thank goodness for the internet, so we can all share the laugh.
Side note: is the rescuer the true hero of the day? I submit the good son who kept taking pictures the entire time for consideration.
