Some memories don’t fade with time — they sharpen.
In this Grand Strand Story, Karen shares a moment from her younger years that still carries the feeling of movement, risk, and the quiet pull of growing up along the coast.
This is “Running at 19.”
Stories like this are part of the living memory of the Grand Strand — moments that may seem small at the time, but stay with us long after the years pass.
Running at 19 — Karen’s Story
As shared by Karen:
She followed Route 501 and found something she didn’t expect.
Many years ago, at age 19, I left my hometown in Virginia and hitchhiked to Myrtle Beach in the middle of the night. I had never been there before. All I knew was that Route 501 would take me there.
At the time, I was broken and scared. I felt like my life couldn’t get much worse. I just needed to run, not really caring what might happen along the way.
To my surprise, I discovered the world could feel very different in other places.
All I ever wanted was to feel like I mattered — to be treated with respect and kindness — and somehow, I found that in Myrtle Beach.
From the moment I arrived, people were trying to help me. Someone took me to a hotel, and the owners gave me a free room to stay in. I was able to find a fast-food job right away.
I had started with only $200, and when that ran out, a coworker gave me a place to stay with other roommates. Opportunities seemed to appear out of nowhere.
At times, I worked two jobs. One manager noticed I was walking to work and helped me get my first car — a Chevy Monza.
For the first time in my life, people treated me with real kindness.
Even though I was painfully shy, I spent many days walking around and talking with visitors from all over. I was fascinated by everything I was learning.
It was the first time I truly realized the world was bigger — and kinder — than the small town I had grown up in.
That year in Myrtle Beach changed me for the rest of my life. It gave me hope and confidence I had never felt before. Some of the people I met left memories that have lasted a lifetime.
I even fell in love for the first time. It wasn’t something that could last, but that didn’t matter. For a while, I felt important — loved by someone I never dreamed would come into my life.
I had dated back home, but nothing that was truly good for me. It may sound crazy, but that one Myrtle Beach love story lifted me in a way I carried with me for the rest of my life. Somehow, it always reminded me that I mattered.
During the year I spent there, the people I met taught me something I’ve never forgotten:
Never let anyone make you feel like there’s no hope. There are people in this world who will see your worth. If you ever feel lost, don’t stay where you don’t belong. Go find the place and the people who remind you who you are.
I’m 66 years old now, and I’m trying to move back to Myrtle Beach. I know things will be different at this age, but I have to try again. My life needs a new direction, just like it did when I was that 19-year-old girl.
I can only hope I find that sense of purpose again.
Never stop dreaming — because when you stop dreaming, you stop living.
If you have a Grand Strand memory of your own, we’d be honored to help preserve it.
📝 Share your story here:
https://grandstrandstory.com/share-your-story-contest/
