Annie

Port Blandford, Newfoundland and Labrador, is a small fishing village sheltered from the dramatic Atlantic Ocean. It was into this small community that Annie Ryan was born in 1920. Life at this time was difficult, as the fishing industry was no longer reliable for jobs and income, so Annie’s father was often absent in order to work far from home. Her family didn’t have much, but they always made ends meet, and Annie started her entrepreneurial skills early by selling sea glass to tourists, a small but valuable contribution. Though she was surrounded by the love of her family and a supportive community, Annie always had her sights set on life away from this small town. The booming city of St. John’s called to her and at the age of nineteen she made the leap; just one of many acts of courage and determination that she would make in her life.

It is in St. John’s that she would experience her first love and heartbreak, a pattern that would continue over the years and decades to come. But with every setback and every loss, Annie would continue living with grace and dignity. Annie is a story about love, family, and one woman’s unrelenting resilience in the face of tragedy.