Saltwater, Second Chances & Full-Circle Moments in the Keys 

One year later and Misty Wells and I are back at it again! Oh—and I can’t forget my overworked and underpaid executive assistant, Debbi, for somehow making these back-to-back trips come together flawlessly. 

Misty Wells, host of Let’s Take It Outside and founder of A Reel Future, and I met two years ago at ICAST and immediately clicked. Since then, we’ve coordinated trips for 38 foster kids and five groups of military service members and veterans just this past December. It’s become one of those partnerships that just works—and this latest trip proved why. 

This time, Misty hosted four boys and their counselor, Kurt, at a beautiful home in Big Torch Key. These young men are all in long-term foster care—some have been in the system for years. As someone who had loving parents, I realize how much we often take for granted: having someone to call when you get a promotion, someone who takes care of you when you’re sick, or comforts you through your first heartbreak. These boys won’t get that from the people who brought them into the world, and that’s incredibly heartbreaking.   

They kicked off their adventure with one of my favorite humans, Capt. JT, for a day of snapper fishing and battling some pretty big sharks. The conditions weren’t easy, but they stuck with it and made some solid memories. 

The next day, I joined them for a special outing to the Dolphin Research Center. Watching the boys get into the water was amazing—they were so brave. I don’t think they realized just how big dolphins are until they were right there next to them! After their swim, we walked around with a cooler full of ice (which dolphins love especially when the summer heat rolls in). The boys had a million questions:
“If dolphins are mammals, how do the babies not drown when they are giving birth?”
“Where’s their hair if all mammals have hair?”
“Can they smell from their blowhole?” 

As a mom of eight years now, I’ve gained a whole new level of patience and appreciation for curious minds. I answered what I could: “They’re born tail first, so they don’t drown. They do have hair follicles—little stubble on their rostrum that falls off a few days after birth. And nope, dolphins can’t smell. But they use echolocation… and after a van ride with teenage boys, I kinda wish I couldn’t smell either.” They all cracked up. These little moments—they’re everything. 

After lunch at Bongos and some playtime at the Aqua Park, and for the next day it was time to get back on the water. I got to hop on board, and it felt so good to be out there with our kids. It had been a while since I’d joined a kids Foundation trip, and honestly, I needed the reminder of why we do what we do. 

The snapper bite was strong, but I could tell the boys were losing a little steam. Faces were looking flushed and spirits were dipping. So Capt. JT and I switched gears—we took them to Picnic Island, a tourist favorite and a great place to stretch out and explore. We ended up picking up trash and clearing some trap lines while explaining the importance of keeping our oceans clean. It was amazing to watch their energy bounce back as they got hands-on with conservation. 

That night, we wrapped things up with a cook-your-catch dinner at Tonio’s. The pride on the boys’ faces was priceless—eating something they caught just hours before. But the evening took an unexpected turn. 

I spotted a local donor named Brian sitting nearby and went over to say hello. He asked where the boys were from, and it turned out he was from the same area. One of the boys came up and asked Brian if he knew his mom. Brian said yes, then the boy said, “You probably won’t see her anytime soon. She’s in jail for attempted murder on a minor.”
Then he added, “That minor was me.” 

We were all floored. 

But the surprises didn’t stop there. Kurt, the boys’ counselor, kept looking at Brian and finally said, “You look familiar.” Brian asked if he used to play football as a kid. When Kurt nodded, everything clicked—Brian had been Kurt’s youth football coach nearly 20 years ago. 

The odds of that moment… I don’t even know how to explain it. Two men connected from decades ago.  Brian was able to see his impact on a kid, now as a grown adult, who in turn coaches youth sports because of Brian. It was emotional, powerful, and a true full-circle moment. 

Many of these boys won’t go back to their biological parents—because of drugs, incarceration, or death. Some will age out of the system without ever being adopted. And while I do believe in karma, I’ll never understand why so many bad things happen to kids who’ve barely begun their lives. 

But I do know this: trips like these matter. They remind these kids that people do care. That they’re not alone. And that if they’re willing to work on themselves, there’s a whole community of people ready to support them. 

As one of the boys put it: 

“I had an amazing time in the Keys. I got to experience new things I’ve never done before and try different kinds of food. Swimming with dolphins isn’t something everyone gets to say they’ve done in life—and I’m happy to say it’s something I’ve done. I went on a boat for the first time in years and also walked in the ocean. This breath of fresh air finally brought peace to such a whirlwind of a world we live in. It showed me not everything lasts forever, and that perhaps my darkest days are behind me, because the sun is always shining in the Florida Keys, and that there are people that do care about us foster kids. 

And from Kurt: 

“As a Youth Lead at a boys’ homeless shelter, I had the opportunity to take four of our boys on a weeklong trip to Big Torch Key, FL—and it was truly unforgettable. We spent our days fishing, swimming with dolphins, and learning about the unique ecosystem and culture of the Florida Keys. What made this experience especially meaningful were our hosts, Krissy and Misty. They were incredibly patient, kind, and transparent with the boys, creating a safe and supportive environment where they could just be kids. Given their backgrounds and vulnerabilities, that kind of care made all the difference. This trip not only gave them new experiences but reminded all of us what compassion in action looks like. We are beyond thankful for the Jose Wejebe Memorial Foundation & Misty Wells’ ‘A Reel Future’ for their kind gesture to allow the boys of this experience & we hope to see you both again next year.”