A Kid Finds a Florida Record Sand Dollar

An 11-year-old Ohio boy vacationing with his family in Florida discovered what his family believes could be a new record for the world’s largest sand dollar.

Syler Elliott, 11, of Newark, was visiting family in Destin when he took a boat ride with his father and uncle.

Elliott said he spotted a sand dollar under water and decided to dive 12 to 15 feet to retrieve it.

“I thought it was just gonna be a little thing,” Elliott told the Northwest Florida Daily News. “I feel so happy and excited about it.”

Elliott’s family said the sand dollar is being kept safe in a box until it can be examined by Guinness World Records. They said it’s about 6 inches in diameter.

The current world record holder for the largest sand dollar was found by Neko Wong, a British Columbia fourth-grader vacationing in Mexico. Her sand dollar measured 6.49 inches in diameter.

Elliott’s grandfather, Ben Rodgers, said he isn’t sure if the boy’s sand dollar beats the world record, but he is certain it will be declared a new Florida state record.

“It’s definitely gonna be a new Florida record, which we think is really cool,” Rodgers said. “A kid from Ohio finds a Florida record sand dollar. Plus, being 11, he’s not a professional diver; he just loves the outdoors. It’s a whole series of neat experiences for us.”

Content contributed by Ben Hooper, reported from Destin, Florida, sourced by UPI. Illustration by Laura Diehl, ldiehl.com