Whitfield McGrath, 87, was given the chance to revisit his past earlier this year, all thanks to a generous offer from a Clarenville businessman.
“It’s not the same looking down as in the boat looking out,” McGrath told The Packet.
Kevin King, who is originally from Old Bonaventure, offered McGrath a ride in his helicopter in May — flying over much of Trinity Bight and the area where McGrath grew up.
McGrath, of New Bonaventure, has been a fixture in Trinity Bight throughout his 87 years.
“He’s spent a lot of time in his chair looking out over that harbour,” said Dustin Spurrell, McGrath’s grandson.
He’s fished since he was only nine years old until the cod moratorium in 1992.
Originally from Delby’s Cove, McGrath’s wife, Nina, is from Kerley’s Harbour. He says he would walk the two hours between the two — now resettled — communities to see his future wife.
They will celebrate 65 years of marriage in November.
McGrath says he can’t find the words to describe the feeling of the generosity or how to thank King.
“He’s got a heart of gold.”
McGrath and Spurrell say the act of kindness is far from unusual. King has extensively renovated areas of the Bight, doing landwork at the St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church in New Bonaventure, building a road to the cemetery and erecting a monument and a gate in the graveyard.
He even gave up his seat in his own helicopter so McGrath, Nina and their daughter and son-in-law could make the trip.
One of the most important parts of the helicopter ride was a flyover of Pope’s Harbour and Little Harbour.
Before moving to New Bonaventure 52 years ago, McGrath lived in Pope’s Harbour.
Not all the memories of this place are happy ones, however.
The McGraths suffered a terrible tragedy while they lived in Pope’s Harbour.
Their little boy Clyde fell into a pot of boiling turrs and perished in Nina’s arms as they steamed to Clarenville to get medical help.
Clyde is buried in Little Harbour.
The helicopter flew low over the grave and they were able to get photos of the site.
“(We went) up over Kerley’s Harbour where the wife belonged, swing out over British Harbour, Pope’s Harbour, Delby’s Cove where I belonged … We come down over Thoroughfare, down over Ivanhoe, down over Traytown, down over Ireland’s Eye, in over Old Bonaventure and up over here — over our house — and land again in the cemetery,” recalled McGrath.
Spurrell says he was taught by his family, “No matter what you do, don’t ever forget where you came from,” and that the motto certainly fits King to a tee.
Spurrell, himself, lives on the west coast of Newfoundland but frequently returns to New Bonaventure.
“Your heart don’t race as much out here,” said Spurrell of the laidback atmosphere of the small, rural community.
What makes the helicopter ride especially important for McGrath, is it marks his last year in the harbour. He and Nina moved to the Clarenville Retirement Home this month.
McGrath will never forget the experience of seeing all those areas of Trinity Bay again from the air.
“We was in most everything (throughout my life),” said McGrath. “I was on big boats, I was on double decker plane, I was in bush planes, I was down in Sydney Harbour in submarine — but I was never in a chopper.”
Spurrell will never forget what King did for his grandfather either.
“To spend 50 years on the water and to recap it like that, is something else.”
Twitter: @jejparsons
Whitfield McGrath, 87, was given the chance to revisit his past earlier this year, all thanks to a generous offer from a Clarenville businessman.
“It’s not the same looking down as in the boat looking out,” McGrath told The Packet.
Kevin King, who is originally from Old Bonaventure, offered McGrath a ride in his helicopter in May — flying over much of Trinity Bight and the area where McGrath grew up.
McGrath, of New Bonaventure, has been a fixture in Trinity Bight throughout his 87 years.
“He’s spent a lot of time in his chair looking out over that harbour,” said Dustin Spurrell, McGrath’s grandson.
He’s fished since he was only nine years old until the cod moratorium in 1992.
Originally from Delby’s Cove, McGrath’s wife, Nina, is from Kerley’s Harbour. He says he would walk the two hours between the two — now resettled — communities to see his future wife.
They will celebrate 65 years of marriage in November.
McGrath says he can’t find the words to describe the feeling of the generosity or how to thank King.
“He’s got a heart of gold.”
McGrath and Spurrell say the act of kindness is far from unusual. King has extensively renovated areas of the Bight, doing landwork at the St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church in New Bonaventure, building a road to the cemetery and erecting a monument and a gate in the graveyard.
He even gave up his seat in his own helicopter so McGrath, Nina and their daughter and son-in-law could make the trip.
One of the most important parts of the helicopter ride was a flyover of Pope’s Harbour and Little Harbour.
Before moving to New Bonaventure 52 years ago, McGrath lived in Pope’s Harbour.
Not all the memories of this place are happy ones, however.
The McGraths suffered a terrible tragedy while they lived in Pope’s Harbour.
Their little boy Clyde fell into a pot of boiling turrs and perished in Nina’s arms as they steamed to Clarenville to get medical help.
Clyde is buried in Little Harbour.
The helicopter flew low over the grave and they were able to get photos of the site.
“(We went) up over Kerley’s Harbour where the wife belonged, swing out over British Harbour, Pope’s Harbour, Delby’s Cove where I belonged … We come down over Thoroughfare, down over Ivanhoe, down over Traytown, down over Ireland’s Eye, in over Old Bonaventure and up over here — over our house — and land again in the cemetery,” recalled McGrath.
Spurrell says he was taught by his family, “No matter what you do, don’t ever forget where you came from,” and that the motto certainly fits King to a tee.
Spurrell, himself, lives on the west coast of Newfoundland but frequently returns to New Bonaventure.
“Your heart don’t race as much out here,” said Spurrell of the laidback atmosphere of the small, rural community.
What makes the helicopter ride especially important for McGrath, is it marks his last year in the harbour. He and Nina moved to the Clarenville Retirement Home this month.
McGrath will never forget the experience of seeing all those areas of Trinity Bay again from the air.
“We was in most everything (throughout my life),” said McGrath. “I was on big boats, I was on double decker plane, I was in bush planes, I was down in Sydney Harbour in submarine — but I was never in a chopper.”
Spurrell will never forget what King did for his grandfather either.
“To spend 50 years on the water and to recap it like that, is something else.”
Twitter: @jejparsons
