Friend surprises Alabama man with first-ever beach trip after staying home 20 years

PANAMA CITY, Fla. -- An Alabama man who hadn't left his home in 20 years just had the time of his life after a good friend decided to change all of that.

David Thomas, 36, has cerebral palsy, and uses a wheelchair to get around.

On Monday, his friend Izas Fuller surprised Thomas with a trip from his Jefferson County home to see the ocean for the very first time.

WATCH: This is the moment David saw the beach for the first time

Watch as David Thomas explores the beach for the first time. (Izas Fuller via Storyful)

Izas even got Thomas a specialized wheelchair to allow him to roll through the soft sands along the beach.

"This is the best summer vacation, ever. Of my life," Thomas said, after he got his first ever glimpse of the waters off Florida's Panama City Beach.

Video of this once-in-a-lifetime moment is now going viral as people watch Thomas' story on Facebook.

Thomas was just 16 years old the last time he ventured outdoors for a school field trip back in 1998.