A memorial made of sea shells, each with a message to a boy lost to the sea. “May God be with you” and the boy’s name, Wesley, spelled out in shells pressed into the sand.
According to The Virginian-Pilot the memorial to the 4-year-old who was lost in the rough surf Wednesday will be heading to New Hampshire. Duck resident Mary St. Claire Dunstan started the memorial near where the accident happened at the Lillian street beach access.
Dunstan plans to box up the shells and send them to the New Hampshire family that lost their son.
The Coast Guard searched for hours by helicopter and boat after the boy was swept away when a rouge wave hit him and his mother as they were walking down the surf.
Dunstan met the family at a prayer vigil around the memorial,Thursday evening. She saw pictures of the boy, the only child of her now grieving mother and father.
“It was devastating to her,” Dunstan said. “They are such lovely people.”
Dunstan said she plans to ask for the access to be renamed in honor of Wesley. Kitty Hawk Mayor Gary Perry said the council will consider the request.