Friend surprises man with first-ever beach trip after staying home 20 years

Thursday, July 26, 2018
PANAMA CITY, Florida -- An Alabama man who hadn't left his home in 20 years just had the time of his life after a good friend decided to change all of that.

David Thomas, 36, has cerebral palsy, and uses a wheelchair to get around.
[Ads /]
On Monday, his friend Izas Fuller surprised David with a trip from his Jefferson County home to see the ocean for the very first time.

WATCH: This is the moment David saw the beach for the first time
Man leaves home for first time in 20 years to see beach


Izas even got David a specialized wheelchair to allow him to roll through the soft sands along the beach.
[Ads /]
"This is the best summer vacation, ever. Of my life," David said, after he got his first ever glimpse of the waters off Florida's Panama City Beach.

Video of this once-in-a-lifetime moment is now going viral as people watch David's story on Facebook.



David was just 16 years old the last time he ventured outdoors for a school field trip back in 1998.

----------
*Follow us on YouTube
* More local news
* Send us a news tip
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Copyright © 2024 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.