‘KING FOR A DAY': A life of ups and downs, Laird beats the odds to become Destin's Grand Marshal in Saturday's Christmas Parade

There’s a new grand marshal in town and his name is Hubert Alan Laird.

“Without question, it’s very flattering,” the AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar owner told The Log. “That’s a simple thing to say, but when it comes to me, after 26 years in this community, it means a lot to us.”

On the heels of his 50^th birthday bash, Laird will be leading the floats and marching bands as the honorary head of Saturday’s 26^th Annual Destin Christmas Parade.

And he almost didn’t live to see it.

Always an over-the-top personality, there is no denying the impact that Laird, the survivor of a liver transplant, has had on Destin since his arrival in the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village.”

Whether it’s sponsoring the Destin Fishing Rodeo, hooking up children with a free rod and reel, battling city hall or contributing to local charities, Laird has always gone about his business in his own way. A man of extremes, he has gone from a stint behind bars to being hailed as a “major benefactor” to the Destin History & Fishing Museum.

“I’ve enjoyed every year I’ve had in Destin, although I haven’t enjoyed every moment of my life in Destin,” he said.

Early Years and AJ’s

Originally from Virginia, Laird was raised in Fort Walton Beach and attended Choctawhatchee High School before coming to Destin in 1984. Laird is proud to call himself a “Big Green Indian,” referring to his high school alma mater.

In his early years in Destin, Laird said it was hard to fit in if you were not part of the “fishing clique” or one of the original families. As one of “the others,” Laird remembers the uphill fight for relevance in the city and along the harbor front.

“There’s always the old school and I didn’t fall into that category,” he said. “I was definitely the new school.”

As an up and coming and consummate businessman, Laird had his hands in many projects along the Panhandle, ranging from his stake in The Swamp and Howl at the Moon, ownership of AJ’s and Pandora’s in Grayton Beach, to various other investments and land holdings. But Laird said the now iconic AJ’s, which is continually ranked among the nation’s top nightclubs, would always be “my baby.”

‘Nobody was betting on me’

Working in the restaurant and nightclub industry began to take a toll on Laird over the years. Coupled with a “lifestyle” that he admits wasn’t the healthiest, Laird found himself in the hospital, potentially near death.

Most people who work long hours in restaurants don’t retire from the business, Laird told The Log; they die in it.

“Dying in this industry at the time seemed like the natural progression and I thought I would let it take me early,” he said.

In February of 2008, the AJ’s owner was battling cancer and awaiting a liver transplant. At the time, a doctor told Laird that he only had an 8 percent chance of staying within the timeframe to receive the organ that he so desperately needed. Those odds didn’t seem that bad to Laird, given the other struggle he was going through from a business standpoint.

While in the hospital, Laird was also going through Chapter 11. Laird laughingly said his chances of survival were better than his chances in bankruptcy proceedings.

“He thought I was too excited (about the prognosis),” Laird remembers of the conversation with the doctor. “He sat down and told me I was too complacent, like anything he said didn’t bother me.”

While that wasn’t the case, Laird took the news in stride and replied in typical AJ fashion.

“I said, ‘Hell yeah, I can go home and they are only giving me a 5 percent shot of surviving bankruptcy,’ ” Laird chuckled. “I told him, ‘You are giving me better odds than I am getting back home.’

“I was a nervous wreck and going down and nobody was betting on me,” Laird added.

Ultimately, he beat the odds, received the transplant, and put AJ’s back on the road to profitability.

He said the whole situation helped him learn a lot about other people and life in general. As for the idea that he might not have survived to reach his 50^th birthday, Laird said he didn’t give it much thought.

“I guess I didn’t really think about mortality much,” Laird told The Log. “At that time I was in my 40s… my bucket list wasn’t that long.”

Now feeling better than ever, Laird says he is writing a new bucket list and spending as much time with friends and family as he can — especially his 5-year-old son, Merrick.

“I’m here and ready to stay a bit longer,” Laird said. “It’s a different lifestyle for me now.”

Grand Marshal and the future

As Destin continues to grow, Laird says he loves the city more and more.

“Destin is still growing and as long as Destin continues to grow, I’m not going anywhere,” he said.

After 26 years of business in Destin and his fair share of ups and downs, Laird is continually thankful for what he has accomplished and been given in his life.

And the city in turn is thankful for what Laird has done.

“There are so many things that Alan has done for The Community Center and the city,” said Lisa Firth, The Community Center’s deputy recreation manager. “We can always count on him for anything from fishing poles to hush puppies.”

And for Laird, that’s what it’s all about.

 “I’m going to be king for the day.”