WACONIA, Minn. — Lindsay and Joe Block finally decided to get a boat this year.
It didn't happen overnight.
"He's been wanting a boat for years," Lindsay said, pointing to her husband. "All of a sudden, it was just like, 'OK, now's the time. We're not going to wait.'"
Lindsay and Joe, who live in Carver with their three young kids, began the search earlier this year. They wanted to find a perfect fishing boat to enjoy on Lake Waconia, where Lindsay's parents have a home with a dock.
"If a cancer diagnosis has taught me anything, it's, 'Live in the now,'" said Lindsay, who was diagnosed with Stage Four cancer in August 2020.
"Take advantage of it. They love fishing, so I wanted them to have something they could use all the time."
As the fishing opener approached this spring, the family researched diligently to find the right boat at a reasonable price. They searched online, compared prices and finally connected with a couple who had a boat for sale in the metro area.
Joe communicated frequently with one of the sellers in late April and early May. After negotiating the price, they finally came to an agreement and scheduled a meeting to see the boat on a Wednesday evening in advance of the fishing opener.
Hours before the appointment, Joe canceled.
His son, Andrew, had broken his arm, requiring immediate attention. Joe explained the situation over the phone, but he worried the sellers might get the impression that he was trying to back out of the purchase.
So, to prove that he remained serious about buying the boat, Joe sent a picture of his son with a broken arm in a cast. In the photo, he happened to be sitting next to his mom, Lindsay, who was wearing a hat to cover her head.
The owner of the boat texted back.
Does your wife have cancer?
That led to a long phone conversation.
"We just talked, not even about the boat, but about life, the cancer situation, and after going through it, she goes, 'You know, I really want to do something for you,'" Joe said. "From where we were negotiating, she offered us $10,000 less than what we talked about. I was just blown away."
Stunned by the incredible act of generosity, the Block family then traveled to St. Paul to pick up the boat and meet the sellers for the first time.
They had one more surprise for the Block family.
I'd like to gift you the boat, the owner said. Give it to you for free and then you can live life to the fullest.
The Blocks were getting the fishing boat they'd always dreamed about.
At no cost.
"The tears started flowing. We couldn't believe the kindness," Lindsay said. "I was just overwhelmed. I mean, I get teary just thinking about it. How amazing that two strangers wanted to do this for our family."
Joe described himself as nearly speechless at first.
"Everything now, as we go through... Lindsay has a Stage Four diagnosis, and we're working through a recent diagnosis where she has lesions on the brain and throughout the body. And, every moment or every incredible opportunity, when someone reaches out with kindness, it strikes a different level," Joe said. "It wasn't just getting the boat. It was really about the gesture and what two people are willing to do for us."
With the kids out of school now, the Block family will be using the boat almost every night this summer on Lake Waconia, where they'll make memories to hold and cherish forever.
Although the couple who donated the boat prefer to stay in the background of this story, Lindsay and Joe said that they've become close family friends in recent weeks. They text and communicate constantly.
"It's amazing, the kindness. We've been shown a lot of kindness through our diagnosis," Lindsay said. "This was just one example of how great people can be."
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