If you've been near mile marker 210 on the Padre Island beach lately, you may have noticed some wooden figures up in the dunes. But they're not coyotes that you would normally see up there. They're called "dune deer," and one Corpus Christi made them all by himself.
“Well, I really like the surprise element. I love surprising people," Mike Thompson, the creator of the dune deer, said.
Mike Thompson has lived in Corpus Christi since he was born in 1961. He has been visiting the beaches of Padre Island with his friends for fun since his teenage years.
“We have a group of friends we call the beach bums. And we’ve been coming out here since we were teenagers. I’ve known some of these guys so long," Thompson said.
He made many memories at the beach throughout his life, which is why it is a special place for him. He decided to put the "dune deer" in the dunes near mile marker 210 four years ago, and it has become a holiday season tradition for him.
“I use debris, like from palm trees or whatever, when the palms fall down," Thompson said.
Many island neighbors and beachgoers stop by and appreciate Mike's dune deer work during the holiday season.
“They come out here, they do their daily walks and they’re all like ‘wow, look at the deer," Thompson said.
But, the dune deer has a deeper meaning to Thompson other than making people smile.
“Well it’s the Christmas season, or the holiday season, and I also like to bring attention to our memorial back here. We’ve lost some friends, and this place has become really special to us," Thompson said.
Thompson created the "Salty Souls" memorial years ago to honor the memory of neighbors who have passed away. The dune deer surround the memorial and serve as a reminder of the fallen neighbors during the holiday season. Thompson lost a close friend, which inspired him to create the memorial.
“I lost a good friend, a brother, Randy Thompson, and we wanted to, I told him, ‘I’m not gonna let them forget you," Thompson said.
The Salty Souls memorial has grown so much over the years, and Thompson invites anyone to add pictures of their loved ones to the memorial.
“The people that have somebody, their picture up on the memorial, it’s really special to them," Thompson said.
Thompson said that he created the dune deer to draw attention to the Salty Souls memorial which keeps the memory of lost loved ones alive on their island paradise.
“It makes me feel good, you know, I just try to spread cheer," Thompson said.
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