CNN
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The father of a Florida man rescued after nearly two days floating in a small boat in the Atlantic Ocean said the moral of the story is “don’t ever give up.”
Boat crews pulled Charles Gregory, 25, from the water Saturday morning after an aircrew spotted him sitting in his partially submerged 12-foot jon boat, a type of small, lightweight and flat-bottomed vessel, about 12 miles offshore, the US Coast Guard said in a news release.
Charles’ family had reported him missing Friday afternoon after he didn’t return from an early morning fishing trip off the coast of St. Augustine, Florida.
His father, Raymond Gregory, told CNN Charles left the house at 4 am Friday to go fishing – something his son had done for years.
But his son didn’t realize the tide was going out fast. Then a wave hit his small boat and capsized it, he said. By the time Charles gathered himself and got back in the boat, he was already far off shore and heading deeper into the Atlantic, Raymond Gregory said.
“He basically just struggled to stay alive for about 35 hours in the ocean,” Raymond Gregory said. “He lost his throw cushion and life jacket, his cell phone, all the stuff he got on boat to protect him.”
Charles fought to hang on to the boat and stay alive while being in direct sunlight, he said of his son. Eventually, his son had to remove the boat’s motor in a desperate attempt to keep it afloat.
US Coast Guard Southeast
Charles Gregory receives care from EMS after being rescued a dozen miles off Florida’s coast on Saturday.
His father said Charles saw other boats and aircraft in the area and took off his swimming trunks to use them to signal for help. His son also described seeing sharks and being stung by jellyfish.
But the night was the worst for Charles, his father said.
“At night being sunburnt, and the wind would be blowing, he said it was freezing cold out there in that water,” Raymond Gregory said.
“He was scared to death,” he added of his son. “He said he’s had more conversations with God in that 30 hours than he’s had his whole life.”
Raymond Gregory said his son’s rescue took him from one of the lowest points in his life, to jubilation.
His son is now at home resting, according to Raymond Gregory. “He’s exhausted, he’s dehydrated and is suffering from Rhabdomyolysis” – which causes the breakdown of damaged muscle and leads to muscle cell contents into the bloodstream, something the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says can be worsened by dehydration.
The severe sunburn, the bruises and the bites are making it difficult for him to move and get out of bed but he is expected to be OK, his father said.
He said he’s happy to have his son back and thankful to all the search teams and the community for his safe return.
“At the end of the day, the whole moral of the story is ‘don’t ever give up,’” he said.
Emergency services met Gregory at Vilano Beach Fishing Pier after he was rescued, the Coast Guard said in its release.
“While this case resulted in rescuing Charles from a life-threatening situation, it highlights the importance of having safety gear onboard and being prepared for the worst,” Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville Commander Nick Barrow said.
“If you plan to head out on the water, remember to have a life jacket, VHF marine grade radio, signaling devices and an emergency personal locator beacon to contact first responders in case you are in need of assistance,” he said.
In an earlier release, the Coast Guard said Gregory had last been seen leaving the Lighthouse Park Boat Ramp in the jon boat.
Footage of the rescue released by the Coast Guard shows Gregory seated in the inundated boat, its bow dipping beneath the surface of the water, before rescue crews reached him.
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