Message in a bottle travels from Massachusetts to France in 9 years

Nov. 11 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts man who was only 10 years old when he tossed a message in a bottle into the Atlantic Ocean said he has received a reply from a French man nine years later.

Max Vredenburgh, 19, wrote a message, sealed it inside a bottle and threw it into the water at Long Beach in Rockport.

"I'm 10 years old. I like apples, I like the beach. My favorite color is blue. I like animals. I like cars and I like outer space. Please write back," Vredenburgh wrote.

Vredenburgh said a letter arrived at his parents' house in October from G. Dubois, who found the bottle on a beach in France.

"When I first read his letter, my heart, my stomach just dropped. I was like, 'Oh my God. My 10-year-old wish just came true. This is insane,'" Vredenburgh told WBZ-TV.

Photos of Vredenburgh's letter and Dubois' reply went viral on Twitter.

"This kind of made me reflect back on who I used to be," Vredenburgh said.

He said he is hoping to learn more about his new pen pal.

"I want to know about him. I want to know if he likes, what his favorite food is, what his favorite color is. Does he like space?" Vredenburgh said.