ANNA MARIA – Chris and Violet Morton seek the community’s help in locating an inscribed plank that was part of a memorial bench located on the Rod & Reel Pier.
The bench memorializes Adrienne Rae Bertrand, Violet Morton’s daughter and Chris Morton’s stepdaughter.
On Feb. 11, an elderly man drove his vehicle onto the Rod & Reel Pier and struck the memorial bench located about a third of a way down the pier. The vehicle did not fall into the water and was later removed from the pier. The driver was not injured and was believed to have experienced a medical incident at the time of the accident, according to a source with knowledge of what transpired.
Two of the three laser-inscribed planks that went missing as a result of the accident have been recovered, but a third inscribed plank remained missing as of Feb. 19.
The top plank that remains missing says, “Like the sun dances on the waves, your memory shall…”
Continuing the inscription, the middle plank says, “forever dance in our hearts. We love & miss you, Mommy and Chris.”
The bottom plank says, “Adrienne Rae Bertrand, May 30, 1990 – April 19, 2017.”
“Manatee County Sheriff’s deputies found the middle board on Bean Point and the bottom board was found by the city of Holmes Beach on 81st Street. We’re still missing the top board. We’re trying to get the bench rebuilt and we need that board,” Morton said of the bench that memorializes his late stepdaughter.
“If someone finds it, please contact us and we’ll come and pick it up,” he said.
Morton can be contacted via email at hunterdogbrown@yahoo.com.
