A grandma and grandson who set out to visit 63 national parks have completed their quest after seven years.
The Duo Are Great Travel Partners
Joy went on an epic journey with her grandson, Brad Ryan, who was first inspired to travel with his grandmother in 2015.
Joy Ryan, 93, and her grandson Brad — who have gained over 70,000 followers on Grandma Joy’s Road Trip Instagram page — finally made it to their last stop, the National Park of American Samoa in the South Pacific, on Monday.
“Reaching our 63rd and final U.S. National Park is bittersweet, with an emphasis on the ‘sweet,'” Brad told Good Morning America.
“Standing at the finish line in American Samoa affirms that seemingly impossible goals are in fact possible if you pursue them with passion and pure intention,” he added. “Grandma Joy has taught the world that you are never too old to show up and live the adventurous life of your dreams.”
The Amazing Journey
First, he took her to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and started a GoFundMe page to raise money for the other trips.
Although they initially planned just to visit the Great Smoky Mountains in 2015, they had such a great time that they felt inspired to continue the journey.
“The more I kept reading about the parks, and I saw how close they were to one another, that we could make this giant loop, it became an obsession,” Brad said.
“The National Park of American Samoa is the only U.S. national park south of the equator and our most remote park,” Ryan posted on Grandma Joy’s Road Trip Instagram page created to document their travels.
“It was a long road to get here, but we couldn’t have chosen a more epic place to conclude this epic chapter of Grandma Joy’s Road Trip!”
Thanks to the adventure of a lifetime, Joy said she’s never felt more energetic.
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