Free hot tub a 'crazy' surprise for Saint John jokesters
It started as a silly gag.
But two fun-loving Saint Johners are having the last laugh.
Paul Crowdis and Colin Friars — who went viral earlier this month with a Facebook post about a runaway hot tub — got a huge surprise this week.
On Wednesday, Softub, the Sudbury, Ont. company that manufactures the tubs, rolled up in a truck and delivered the dudes their own free, six-person hot tub.
"There just isn't enough compassion in the world these days … [it's] so nice to hear these stories when so many people are facing such adversity, as with all the flooding in New Brunswick," said Wayne Fraser of Softub Canada.
'Totally found a Porsche'
In the May flood, when a hot tub washed up near Crowdis's father's home on Ragged Point Road, the two made a funny post looking to reunite it with its owners.
On the "NB Flood Tub" Facebook page, they joked about organizing a "Mother's Day Hot Tub Bash" with live entertainment and "catering by some of Southern New Brunswick's top chefs (no fiddleheads)."
Little did they know the hot-tub party dream would become a reality.
"We totally found a Porsche in the river too," Friars said. "Maybe there are some dealers who want to give us one of those."
All jokes aside, "it's pretty crazy," Crowdis said. "It's been a lot of fun. We've heard from people from all over. There's been a few comments from people saying that they had a hard couple weeks and this kind of put a smile on their face.
"It's unbelievable to think a post on social media can end up like that."
Pay it forward
Softub wanted to reward the men for their attempt to reunite items lost in the flood with their owners.
Softub representatives Felix Weisspach, Knut Weisspach and Jane Smith made the trip from Mahone Bay, N.S., to present "the boys" with the gift.
"We thought it was a great feel-good story," Smith said. "We're hoping this will make others pay it forward, too. The guys did a great job in finding the owners. Softub feels that these guys have had it hard here, and it's time to give something back.
"We hope that everyone here gets back to normal with the flood, and we just wanted to be part of the story."
"I think it's important to try and return these items to people," Crowdis said earlier this month. "If anyone finds anything of value that has been relocated by the flood to somewhere else, it is possible to get it back to who owns it."
Cannonballs, Dr. Pepper
The two men are planning to organize a real-life hot-tub bash to celebrate.
"I'm gonna do a cannonball in it," Friars said. "Maybe have a Dr. Pepper."
As for the fate of the original flood tub — owners Jason Harrity and Lisa Rumson-Harrity live just 100 metres away from the spot where it was found.
"We've had it for about 10 years and enjoyed many, many summer nights in it," Harrity said.
They heard about the Facebook post after friends tagged them, and recognized their hot tub, but were tied up with a family emergency. By the time they went to pick it up, the tub had disappeared.
"We understand the city picked it up, thinking it was part of the flood debris," they said.
But they're just happy the situation put a smile on so many people's faces.
"We want to give a huge shout-out to these guys for finding us," said Harrity. "Just a big thanks to them for making the post."
They're hoping to replace their own hot tub — but until then, "we'll have to visit for the party," Harrity said.
The more the merrier, according to Crowdis.
"Absolutely!" he said.
"Everyone's invited to the hot-tub party."
