When Bell’s Ken Olson embarked on his very first diving cruise in 1997, little did he imagine that nearly 26 years later, a new partner would join him on the adventure, his granddaughter Alyssa Williams.

Ken and his granddaughter share more than just a love of diving. Like her grandfather, Alyssa is also a Bell employee. He works in facilities, while Alyssa works in Security.

The opportunity to join Bell was particularly meaningful for Alyssa. “My grandfather sent me the job posting, and I was immediately drawn to the idea of using my degree in a place that has been a part of my family for over 30 years,” she explained.

The three-decade-old veteran at Bell has always been known for his adventures.

 “Any time I take a day off, I’m in the ocean, on a cruise somewhere, and I’m diving,” Ken said.

Alyssa, having grown up seeing her grandpa’s mesmerizing underwater photos, was always interested in Ken’s diving adventures. “What he did just looked awesome,” she recalled.

When she graduated from high school, Ken didn’t just give Alyssa a present; he gave her an experience – a cruise trip. The trip marked their first diving lesson together. From that first shared dive, Alyssa was hooked.

“She took to the water like she was born for it. From the start, nothing really phased her,” Ken chuckles, recalling Alyssa’s fearlessness. “We can be swimming with sharks or huge fish that are following us around, and she just embraces it.”

For them, the ocean is a portal to another world, a life of adventures. But diving is not without its challenges. Once lost in the beauty of the Flower Gardens in the Gulf of Mexico, they dove deeper than ever before, nearly reaching their 130-foot limit before looking at their gauges.

In these moments, when they’ve had to navigate the unpredictable whims of the ocean, they have only strengthened their trust in each other. As Alyssa puts it, “Diving Buddies stay together. Stick together for everything.”

Their dives have brought them closer, turning their bond into a deep friendship filled with shared experiences and stories. “He’s had so many experiences,” she said, “and he loves sharing them.”

Ken reflects, “For me, I’m just lucky because she chooses to spend time with me and enjoys exploring the underwater world. It’s important to bond with family and make memories and experiences together.”

What’s next for these two? Looking ahead, the Bell diving duo has their sights set on a new horizon. Alyssa dreams of embarking on one of her grandfather’s favorite expeditions to the Red Sea. During this expedition, Ken had tales of colorful corals and playful dolphins there.

“Count me in,” Ken said. “I just need an excuse to put my gear back on and go.”