Tim Ward was born on Flag Day (June 14th) in 1957. He suffered an early trauma at age 5, when he discovered that his mother wasn't entirely accurate in telling him that they put out flags all over town each year to celebrate his birthday. But he continued his life as an ongoing celebration and adventure anyway.

His family owned the local Chrysler/Dodge dealership in Danbury, Connecticut, and it was expected that he would, like his brothers, work in the family business after graduating from school. But a well-timed inheritance from his grandmother enabled him to fulfill two of his big dreams: open his own restaurant and live in Key West. He bought a small Cuban cafe on the corner of Elizabeth and Olivia Streets, and reopened the doors as Sp'g Eddies, a neighborhood Italian restaurant. The business lasted only a few years, but he lived his dream and had a wonderful time doing it.

Photo caption: Tim Ward (right) and Richard McGarry, in front of the Green Parrot bar, 1979. Photo by Sharon Wells.