To Inspire:

Talk about playing the long game. One family’s patience finally paid off in free oysters for a father and son after a decades-long wait.

In 1972, Jimmy Rush, his younger brother, and their dad would eat at Wintzell’s Oyster House in Mobile, Alabama frequently, and always after Mardi Gras festivities. This became such a tradition that it continued even after the family moved to Florida. The restaurant walls were covered with funny and quirky signs, one of which read, “Free oysters to any 80-year-old accompanied by his father.” The Rush family asked, “Is this real?” “Yes,” came the answer. They asked if anyone had ever done it, and the restaurant said no.

The family began to plan to be the first to claim the offer. And 54 years later, on Jimmy’s 80^th birthday in February, he and his 99-year-old father walked into Wintzell’s to celebrate with free oysters.

The family brought plenty of friends along to celebrate Jimmy’s birthday and the milestone of collecting on this offer.

Oliver Wintzell, who founded the restaurant in 1938, probably never thought someone would actually take him up on the offer, but current owner Bob Omainsky happily made good on it. Omainsky said, “You got to remember, this is a long time ago, and now people are living a little bit longer.” “[Oliver] probably thought it was something that his restaurant would never be required to fulfill, but I can tell you, we couldn’t be happier to be the ones to do it … the Rushes are great people.”

Over the years, the Rush family made sure to stop in the restaurant occasionally, to enjoy some oysters and to make sure the offer was still good.

While they don’t mind paying for them, Jimmy says oysters taste better when they’re free, and that the restaurant has promised as long as he’s 80 and brings his father along, the offer still stands. They’ve already been back three times.

Younger brother Carl Rush will be 79 in October and thinks his dad will still be around for him to claim the offer. Jim Sr., who will turn 100 in July, says he eats a healthy diet, doesn’t take any medicine, and walks four or five miles every day. He said, “I’ve only been sick twice in my life, once when I was five and once when I was 97.” Sister Dorothy is just turning 70 and while she would love Jim Sr. to make it to her 80^th, she admits that’s a long way off.

A close family, the three Rush children say they are blessed to still have their father around – and eating oysters – at 99.

You have to love the commitment of this family – to each other and to the offer of free oysters! I hope I get to update this story in 2027 when Carl takes 102-year-old Jim Sr. in for more oysters. What a beautiful family.

Written by Michelle O’Brien, Manager of Marketing & Communications

Source: McLean, Kayla. Father, 99, and son, 80, feast on free oysters after cashing in on decades-old restaurant promise. CBC Radio.