A man who spent three years building a floating suit made from 1,150 corks has finally debuted his creation.
Kerry Haulotte crafted the one-of-a-kind suit in total secrecy until it was ready for its maiden voyage where “it performed flawlessly.”
The 64-year-old said the suit was meant to be a silly gag for the family to have fun with during their boat outings, but the video of Kelly launching himself into Lake Michigan has gone viral—with 3 million views and 500,000 likes.
Friends and family were each trying on the cork suit so they could float in the water during a fun day out.
The suit was constructed by drilling 3,450 holes through hundreds of corks, and the finished product ended up weighing over 13 lbs.
The project was shrouded in secrecy due to Kerry’s anxiety about the project failing.
“Other than my wife Jamie, I kept the project a secret for the entire creation time, fearing that I may not finish the project or that it would be a massive failure,” he told SWNS news.
When it was finally revealed to family members, they were amazed by Kerry’s creation.
“This is the coolest thing I have ever seen!” exclaimed his stepdaughter Haley, who posted the video.
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Kerry said it was an ‘on-again and off-again project’ that took 120 to 130 hours to overall.
“I admit I was afraid people would think I was absolutely nuts, and while that may be true, it turns out people really loved it. It has put a smile on the face of everyone observing, and all that have floated in it.
“Incidentally, it has been signed and dated by everyone who has floated in it,” he added.
What surprised 28-year-old Haley was how ‘kind’ people have been online.
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“I was worried the online community would be rude, but everyone has been hyping up my stepdad, which I absolutely love to see. He is one of the most humble, creative, and interesting people I know.
“He deserves all the recognition, love, and support. I couldn’t have gotten a cooler stepdad.”
WATCH the maiden voyage…
Challenge Your Friends to Make a Cork Suit – By Sharing on Social Media…