A big thank you to Anna Bentley for telling our story in the Fall 2019 Issue of Airstream Life Magazine! If you are a subscriber, look for the feature story “The Long Journey Home” beginning on page 59. If not, you can subscribe here!
Thanks again to Anna and Airstream Life Magazine!
The Ibsen family, Dan, and I were honored to have the Austin Statesman pick up our story and publish it in the Sunday paper on February 17th. How exciting! Thank you Ken Herman! You can see the online version here.
While we are still dizzy from the experience, the Ibsen’s are having a CELEBRATION!
Five of the seven Ibsen children were able to gather in Austin for what must have been an incredible experience for them. One of the siblings, Eric, left the most beautiful comment that explains it all better than I ever could. Thank you all Ibsen Family for sharing your evening with us. We wish you many happy adventures!
Peace and Love from the Matney’s!
Dear Steph and Dan,
As I just read your update, I must admit that I am moved to tears. I’m one of those toe-headed Ibsen kids that absolutely loved the Overlander! My brother Ole didn’t know or remember this, but in 1999 I actually started searching for our Airstream! I looked and looked using all the internet resources available at the time, contacting the Wally Byam Club, to no avail. I reluctantly was forced to accept that it was lost forever.
I’m the little guy on the top left in the pic of us on the beds & bunks with my brother, Bill, hugging the poodle. I thought you might like to know that to welcome this incredibly precious gift home appropriately, five of our seven siblings managed to spontaneously gather in Austin this last Friday! Bill flew in from Atlanta and I flew in from San Francisco.
We marveled at the absolutely spectacular design decisions and craftsmanship you put into the restoration! It is simply perfect! The pictures you so thoughtfully printed and placed throughout were delightful! We were all smiling ear to ear the whole evening. We toasted champagne, explored, reminisced and thought about our parents, Ole and Diana, and how they were there, with us in spirit and we were certain that they, like us, were grinning and weeping with hearts full of joy, admiration and a flood of emotions and memories of what was for all of us, some the very best parts of our childhoods. We talked about memories of our trips and… and we laughed… a lot! Seeing my 5 and 7 year old nephews, Kosmos and Ole Ibsen III, nestled on the bed, watching their iPad and giggling was a moment of sublime beauty. To me it represented that Airstreams are so much more than just trailers, they are vehicles that bring us and other lucky families together. Now, thanks to you, and in our case, for 3 generations. We are truly amazed that you are so generous of spirit, that you even considered selling your baby to us! “Thank you” is not a strong enough expression of our gratitude for your kindness! We will always remember your kindness. You have shown that Wally Byam’s spirit and vision clearly endures and reflects the best parts in each of us.
We will be sending you pictures of our joyful reunion and we recreated one of the pictures! The journey continues and now in unimaginable style shall we, in the words of Wally Byam, “Strive endlessly. Stir the venturesome spirit within”!
Thank you again for everything Dan and Steph.
Warmest regards and gratitude,
Eric Ibsen
I just noticed the “This is Your Life” link to the Holstee Manifesto on the great blog Riveted. I think I’m a little late to this party but I still had to share. Love this!
