No I’m not running away. And I’m not referring to Del Shannon’s

popular ‘70s song, “Run, Run, Run Away.” I’m talking here about one magical place, Runaway Hill … on Harbour Island Nancy just returned from. Have visited seven times previously.

Now this will not be a usual “travelogue” covering our visit. Rather I’ll share with you an experience there that totally took us by surprise. We’ll not totally. Sure, there was the wonderful sun and surf; great food. But something happened at Runaway this week that made our visit far and away the most memorable of our seven. It was a total freakin’ paradox.

A random accident. I won’t give you the details. But … Nancy slipped one early morning on our wet, slick tile floor. And severely injured her knee cap. She could not walk.

We were stunned! We were leaving the next day. Getting off Harbour Island is no small chore. A Tito’s on the rocks at 8am, cleared my head.
“How’re we ever going to pull this off?! Ok. How would we navigate a trip home with triple cab rides; a water taxi and an airport in Eleuthera that looked like a Trump rally! Cart to transport her in Atlanta. Meet daughter Sam at International! Phew! Another Tito’s comin’ up!
(I’ll soon tell you about Superman showing up to somehow get us through all this!)

So, what am I getting to?
It’s the people who make Runaway Hill what it is. It may not be the ritziest, the highest profile resort on the Island. But as we found when Nancy “went down.” Runaway for sure is the most loving, caring resort and team there.

“Mr. Brickley tell me sir what do I need to do?” (Not, “Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”… standard response.)
“Mr. Brickley, I’ve arranged a private transport for you to take you off the Island to Eleuthera Airport.”
“Mr. Brickley, my heart aches for Nancy.”
“Oh Mr. Brickley, I’m praying for Miss Nancy.”
On and on … nothing but true caring comments and gestures from everyone.
All part of the Runaway culture. A team of people who love their customers. We experienced this big time. More than ever. When Nancy had her accident.
Thus the paradox. A real downer during our stay … birthed a new awareness of how wonderful the people at Runaway truly are.

A truly defining example? Jonas is the handyman at Runaway. He can change a tire in 30 seconds. He fixed an issue with our water cooler in minutes one year. He’s amazingly good at what he does.

But last evening as Nancy was lying in bed. A knock at the door. It was Jonas. An imposing young guy who has been at Runaway for over a decade. He had a small red flower that he gave Nancy. Gently touched her hair and left. There was something intimate about Jonas’s gesture. So “Runaway” like. No pretense, no fanfare. Just a good person who cared. Showing his concern in his own way for another in distress.

We’ll go back to Runaway for as many times as we can. Sun, surf, food will all still be there. But it will always be a reunion. Seeing our great friends again. All they mean to us. But especially all they meant to us this time.

When a seemingly devastating incident paradoxically revealed the culture and real reason we return every year. To get more of those hugs and loving gestures from our friends at Runaway. God bless them all … and thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

With love,
Bob and Nancy.