In 1978, avid water enthusiasts Chuck and Lou Ann Best rescued a squirrel after a rainstorm. When Chuck bought a remote-controlled boat for his daughter’s birthday, his friends teased him saying he bought the boat for himself, to which he responded, “I have to learn to drive the boat so I can teach my squirrel to water ski!”
News spread of Twiggy “the water skiing squirrel,” and the rest is history. Twiggy has performed since September of 1979, traveling all over the world and appearing in numerous books, magazines, newspapers, and television shows. Tragically, in 1997, Chuck drowned while attempting to rescue his stepfather in a boating incident. Upon her husband’s passing, Lou Ann made water safety an important part of Twiggy’s act. Chuck Best Jr. and his fiancé have reimagined his parents’ show for an entirely new generation of Twiggy fans.
Twiggy is also the spokes animal for the National Safe Boating Council’s Safe Boating Campaign, a worldwide effort focused on responsible boating, encouraging boaters to always wear a life jacket while on the water.
Make sure to stop by and meet Twiggy the Water Skiing Squirrel at the 2024 International Boating and Water Safety Summit! IBWSS will be held April 8-11 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Albuquerque in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard and sponsored by At the Helm Training. Register at www.ibwss.org.
Learn more and check Twiggy’s show schedule at twiggysinc.com.
