Grandma Joy Ryan and her grandson Brad Ryan from Duncan Falls, Ohio, have completed their mission to cover all 63 National parks in the USA. This dynamic duo started the journey with a road trip to visit their first National Park, the Great Smoky Mountains, in 2015. After seven years and driving for over 50,000 miles, they reached their final stop in American Samoa.
Joy Ryan, popularly known as “Grandma Joy,” lived almost all of her life in Ohio. She worked at a grocery store deli until her 80s. She lived a life of many losses, with her husband and two sons passing away. With a heavy heart, Grandma Joy recently attended the funeral of his last son.
Grandma Joy spent most of her time sitting on the front porch and taking evening walks in the nearby cemetery. She had not seen an Ocean or set foot in a mountain until Brad Ryan decided to take her on new adventures. Hot Springs National Park, Saguaro National Park, and Virgin Islands National Parks are some of the places they visited recently.
“The idea that she would just continue to sit on that front porch and continue to take that evening walk through a cemetery instead of being surrounded by the most wondrous living things on Earth was what I couldn’t stand,” said Brad Ryan.
The inspiring story of Grandma Joy and Brad earned the attention of many. Along the journey, they appeared in TV shows like the Rachel Ray Show, ABC News, Fox News, and Good Morning America. Many people across the US were happy to provide them with bed and breakfast as they continued their journey. Two days ago, the duo reached the last National Park on their bucket list, the National Park of American Samoa.