Man finds unique message in a bottle containing ashes, cash and an invitation to have a drink

[Norman MacDonald says plans are underway to fulfil the wishes of the late Gary Robert Dupuis after the mystery man’s ashes washed up on the shores of Cape Breton inside a tequila bottle. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Norman MacDonald]

Norman MacDonald was on one of his routine trips across Cape Breton’s West Mabou Beach when he came across a message in a bottle; however, this one was quite different than most. 

Inside of a Sauza tequila bottle, MacDonald found a man’s ashes, $25 and a request to have a drink in memory of the deceased. 

“I thought it was sand from another beach, and I was going to toss it,” MacDonald told CTV News. 

But he read the note, and it told the story of Gary Robert Dupuis, a man who enjoyed tequila and had an unfulfilled dream of travelling the world. The bottle appears to have been sent out in hopes of achieving the man’s aspiration, albeit posthumously. 

“If you find him please take this money, buy yourself and Gary a drink and release him back in the ocean,” the note read. “My wish is that he gets his dream of seeing the world and finally finds some peace. We love you dad, have a great trip.” 

Not much is known about Dupuis outside of what was included in the letter. It says he was born on July 1, 1954, and the letter describes a man who had an interesting life.
“Gary lived a very fast and reckless life in his younger years but slowed down and dreamed of travelling the world in his golden years,” the note said. 

MacDonald, however, plans to follow through with the letter’s request. He told CTV News that he plans to take Dupuis’ ashes to a dance on Saturday night and put him on the table. Following that, he hopes to give the bottle to a lobster fisherman who will drop it back into the ocean. Bon Voyage Gary.