Al Nixon is a North Shore Park Regular in St Petersburg

By Published On: February 25th, 2022

North Shore Park Regular – Al Nixon

[fusion_dropcap boxed="yes" boxed_radius="0" class="fusion-content-tb-dropcap"]P[/fusion_dropcap]ublished on 02/25/22: Today I visited North Shore Park to count some blessings and attempt to wrap my head around the turmoil overseas.

When it became clear that Russia was invading Ukraine, I followed the coverage much of the night. I couldn’t stop. The gravity of the air raid sirens, explosions and tactical maneuvers were all very surreal. All while trying to somehow place myself in the shoes of those families in harms way.
What would I be doing at this moment with Amy and Colt? What could I offer for safety and protection? Even the reporters, with merely a flak jacket and helmet. That was no protection against a missile strike. I’ll leave it at that, but believe we need to keep everyone involved at the top of our minds. And for those who pray, certainly in our prayers.

St Pete Native and Everyday Visitor to North Shore Park

While at the park, I noticed Al Nixon. Anyone familiar? He’s the St Pete native who many pass every morning as he watches the sunrise. Mr. Nixon has watched the daily sunrise from the same spot (arrow) for nearly 8 years now. His morning ritual for “personal reflection and to help cope with the stress of life.”

ABC News Article on Al Nixon

Per the ABC news article below, his visits have turned into more. “His simple act of sitting on a bench and acknowledging strangers passing by has morphed into something more powerful than he could’ve ever imagined.” “I was reminded by a woman about a year in that this is not just about me,” Al said. “She said she knows everything is going to be okay when I show up and keep coming.”
“Humans are creatures of habit. And, something about Al’s consistency, stability, repetition, or whatever you want to call it has inspired others. […] The love is pure, and that’s what we get from each other,” Al said. “The power of a frown or smile is limitless. We get a smile; we give a smile. The smile you see of mine is the 50 smiles I see before you saw mine.”

Full ABC Action News article: St. Pete native watches the sunrise from Vinoy Park every day (abcactionnews.com)

Info on North Shore Park Below:

Google Reviews: 967 with a 4.7/5 Average

Address: 901 North Shore Dr. NE, St Pete

Phone: (727) 893-7298

I’m a local Tampa Bay Area Realtor, with over 25K people following my LovingStPete Guide on Social Media! You’ll receive up to $10K at closing when you use my LovingStPete Team to buy or sell a property! My past includes developing a vacation rental advertising business that I ran for more than a decade, then sold to HomeAway/VRBO. I’d love to help you buy or sell a property, simply contact me.

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Written by : St Petersburg Realtor, Mike Braswell

Mike Braswell is a Tampa Bay Realtor, serving St Petersburg, Clearwater, all nearby beaches and more. Mike and his 6 year old son started LovingStPete in October of 2020 after a difficult year took its toll on local businesses. After being cooped up for portions of 2020 (lockdown) they decided to get out and explore, helping spread the good word about the local area he loves so much. Often even doing gift card giveaways to support local. LovingStPete is now followed by over 27 thousand people on social media! The majority of posts are informative on fun parks, activities, day trips, great restaurants, and in general provide a comprehensive tour of the area! His 6 year old son generally helps him gather the info, providing his wife some 'child-free' time in the process! A win-win, with his son being exposed to many great events and activities in the process.

Soon after receiving his bachelors in Management Information Systems, Mike developed and then operated a vacation rental advertising business for 10+ years as CEO/Owner. The business was eventually acquired by HomeAway/VRBO.

When not spending time with his beautiful wife and energetic son, Mike enjoys boating and is also an avid tennis player. An interesting fact about Mike is that he grew up on an avocado farm with over 15 varieties, some of which you can find in our local Publix/Winn Dixie as his dad still farms the same farm at 87 years old!

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