Cancer patient's yacht spreads festive cheer in Bearsden
Ian Rankin, aged 82, from Bearsden, Scotland, constructed a 9-metre yacht in his garden last year. The gentleman, who is contending with colon cancer, had a single aim: to bring joy to people during the Christmas season.
According to "Bild," the yacht built by Ian Rankin features a 10-metre mast adorned with hundreds of Christmas lights, capturing the attention of passersby. In an interview with the BBC, Rankin confessed that he often hears his creation "brings a smile to the face" of viewers. One neighbour even mentioned the yacht had brightened her Christmas season.
For Ian himself, constructing the yacht was a form of therapy. This project gave the man, battling colon cancer, a reason to "get up in the morning and do something." Rankin, who is an enthusiastic sailor, revealed he was inspired to craft the colossal yacht after a passerby, seeing a small boat model in the 82-year-old's garden, remarked that it made him happy. Rankin decided to embark on something grander.
Local children refer to the yacht as the "boat in the sky," due to its tall mast and elevated location. Rankin hopes to show young people that even when one is older or unwell, they can achieve remarkable things.
Rankin encourages those who felt "cheered up" on the yacht's deck to donate to the Bearsden Christmas yacht for the Beatson Cancer Charity. Ian selected this organisation for a reason. "The charity has done a tremendous amount for my family," he admitted in an interview with the BBC.
People have taken time and effort and money in tough economic times to donate to the cause - and that cheers me up no end, he emphasised.
The yacht has a permanent place in Ian's garden
The yacht now has a permanent place in Ian's garden. "It's beautiful. I love looking at it," the 82-year-old remarked. "It gives me pleasure, and I hope it gives other people pleasure," he added.
After the holidays, Rankin intends to transform the yacht into a "man cave," where he can return to constructing his small boat models.
