(CNN) — When James Michael Grimes fell overboard from a Carnival cruise ship within the Gulf of Mexico, he stated the sheer will to stay, together with energy from God, stored him alive as he miraculously swam for what he believes was greater than 15 hours.
The Alabama native was onboard the Carnival Valor with 18 members of his household for the week of the Thanksgiving vacation. It was the night time earlier than Thanksgiving when Grimes, who was at an onboard bar together with his sister, went to make use of a restroom round 11 p.m., his sister recalled, in line with a Carnival assertion to CNN.
The very last thing he remembers earlier than regaining consciousness within the water was going to hearken to stay music aboard the ship with household, he stated, and he would not keep in mind the place, or how, he fell off the ship. He’d had drinks on the Valor, however says he was not inebriated, Grimes informed ABC earlier.

“I used to be attempting to remain as constructive as I may from the second I got here to, and regain consciousness, I can simply keep in mind proper then pondering, ‘wow, it is a miracle that I am not already lifeless,’ ” Grimes stated.

Grimes stated he isn’t able to floating, and credited his survival to his religion and constructive perspective, including he even created songs to maintain his spirits up.

He swam by two colleges of jellyfish and watched the solar rise throughout his time within the water, and stated he misplaced nearly 20 kilos in the course of the expertise.

“The lord gave me the desire to stay. It is a miracle,” he informed CNN. “I wasn’t going to surrender at any cut-off date simply say, that is it, that is the tip. It by no means got here to that. I used to be decided to swim till my legs and arms couldn’t maintain my physique up anymore.”

“It was like a 20-hour baptism,” he added.

He additionally battled confusion, fatigue, and a few type of creature beneath. “It got here up on me actually fast. And I went underneath, and I may see it. And it wasn’t a shark, I do not consider. Nevertheless it had extra like a flat mouth, and it got here up and bumped one in all my legs, and I kicked it with the opposite leg. It scared me, not understanding what it was … all I may see was a fin,” he informed ABC earlier.

At one other level, Grimes grabbed a floating stick, which he stated “appeared like bamboo,” and began chewing it. “It gave some kind of taste in my mouth aside from saltwater,” he informed ABC.

Grimes additionally stated he had conversations with God throughout his time within the Gulf.

“‘Lord, my worst concern is drowning. I do not know why you place me out right here on this trial, however I do know you are going to get me by it,’ ” he recalled saying. “It wasn’t a matter of if I get saved or in the event that they discover me, it was only a matter of when, and I simply received to maintain swimming till they do.”

Grimes’ household had reported him lacking at midday on Thanksgiving. He finally noticed lights from a tanker ship, and swam towards it, he had informed ABC.

The Coast Guard member who rescued him appeared like a guardian angel coming down from the helicopter, Grimes informed CNN.

Lt. Seth Gross, a search and rescue coordinator for the USCG informed CNN if Grimes was within the water for 15 hours, it is “absolutely the longest that I’ve heard about, and simply a type of Thanksgiving miracles.”

“The truth that he was capable of maintain himself afloat and above the floor of the water for such an prolonged time frame, it is simply one thing you’ll be able to’t take as a right and definitely one thing that’ll stick to me eternally,” Gross stated, including the case confirmed how a lot “the desire to stay is one thing that that you must account for in each search-and-rescue case.”

Grimes is now planning a visit to New Orleans to fulfill the Coast Guard crew who rescued him and added he would not rule out one other cruise sooner or later.

“If that is the worst factor I ever should undergo once more, I believe I will be okay,” Grimes stated. “Being the Alabama fan that I’m, I used to be on the market simply rolling with the tide.”

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