Father's Attempt at a New Life in Florida

Key Insight

Two years prior to his illness, the father moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, in an effort to distance himself from his own father and 'jump-start his life'. He found an apartment on the Intracoastal Waterway with a dock, promising his children a boat, and his initial optimism was infectious, giving hope that he could turn things around.

He acquired a 19-foot skiff named Sundance Kid and matching red windbreakers. During their visits, the children spent time with their great-aunt Joan and great-uncle Vic, who were warm and engaging. The father also befriended an airline pilot in his building, hoping to renew his own pilot's license, and worked navigating a 45-foot Hatteras for a wealthy older man.

Despite these efforts to build a new life, the navigating job proved unfulfilling, as the Hatteras was rarely used for serious fishing, which the father enjoyed. He felt it was a waste of his expertise as a pilot and fisherman, particularly contrasting with his earlier passion for deep-sea sportfishing and borrowing specialized boats from friends.