My aunt has been supplying me with amazing photos of my dad from his childhood. Recently she sent me this video which I will absolutely treasure for two reasons. The footage is from 1963-1964.
My dad was raised in England. He joined the LDS church at 15. A missionary told him if he saved his money, my dad could come to America with him when he returned from his mission. My dad took it completely serious and saved all of his money from that day forward. He said he was tempted twice to use the money, once for a German Shepherd and once for a motorbike.
This video starts with family footage of everyone playing, and I get to see my grandpa. He passed away when I was one, and being 1/2 a world apart, we never met.
The video ends with everyone seeing my dad off as he boarded the SS United States to come to America. I never thought I'd see this, I couldn't even picture it. It was a 5 day trip, my dad had the cheapest ticket so he was in the bottom and got very sick. My grandparent's called him on the ship about 3 days in, I can only imagine them worried to death about their 17 year old boy out looking for adventure. My grandparent's didn't have much money at all and my dad says it probably cost them a fortune to make that call.
My dad was grateful to arrive in New York and eventually made it to American Fork Utah. He was there in 1964, at the height of The Beatles popularity, so as you can imagine, he was a celebrity.
A few years down the road my dad met my mom and thus, my family :)
Thank you Heidi for this footage, I will truly treasure it.
Daddy-O
22 hours ago
11 shout outs:
I love this video. My kids loved watching it too. I just wish I had all the stories you have heard from dad over the years. You may not have met grandpa being the youngest but you do get a lot more stories from dad!
Thank you so much for sharing that! What a fun thing for you to have! I bet he loves telling you the story of his trip to America!
Thanks!!
What a treasure!!
That's awesome! Is your dad the only one that came to America?
That was cool to watch! We just love your dad- we really do.
Did you put the music and stuff together? I felt teary eyed watching it, probably because of the music or maybe pregnancy hormones- or maybe I'm just really weird.
That is such a neat record to have though.
Oh and by the way I have a Grandma Nell too! We were considering naming this baby Nell if it was a girl.
Hello, this wonderful video popped up in my blog searches for "SS United States." I'm the archive curator for the SS United States Conservancy, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to preserving the ship and her legacy (she still exits, moored and derelict in Philadelphia). We'd love to add your treasured footage to our Archive Project. For more information, please visit ssunitedstatesconservancy.org. We'd be honored. All the very best, Mark
Nice work Gagen! Check out Wikipedia on the SS United States.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_United_States
That was awesome. It was a good reminder to get out my video camera out more. Definitely a treasure.
I think it should be put on a tape and into a treasure box. Seven year olds treasure things like me.Great footage from grandma Heidi
I tho ught I commented already...I LOVE This footage. (aunt heidi is the best) I got totally teary at when Hey Jude started...so tender! LOVE IT
I loved it! Wow, that is so incredible to get video footage like that. I can't imagine how your grandparents must have felt as they watched your dad leave on that ship. The music was awesome, too. Good choices. I wish I had videos of my parents when they were younger like that.
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