Being on a cruise ship can be an unforgettable experience for most people. With good food, excellent entertainment, and awesome accommodations, the list of reasons to try going on a cruise can go on and on.
The experience James Michael Grimes had on a Carnival cruise ship is something he won’t forget anytime soon.
It was a miracle. And to let everyone know how blessed he feels to still be alive, he’s sharing his story with everyone.
James was with his family for the Thanksgiving holiday.
He was with 18 members of his family.
They were out to celebrate and express gratitude for all the blessings they’ve received throughout the year.
At around 11 pm, he told his sister that he needed to use the restroom.
He didn’t expect what happened next.
Instead of the restroom, he found himself in the water.
Although James admitted that he had a few drinks, he wasn’t drunk.
He’s able to recall listening to live music with his family.
However, he couldn’t remember where he fell or how he ended up in the water.
In an interview with CNN, he recalled:
“I was trying to stay as positive as I could from the moment I came to, and regain consciousness, I can just remember right then thinking, ‘wow, it’s a miracle that I’m not already dead.”
James didn’t know how to stay afloat.
Despite that, he was able to survive.
For him, it was his faith that kept him alive.
Staying afloat wasn’t his only problem.
Being in the water, he had to dodge several sea creatures.
He swam through not just one but two schools of jellyfish. He even got in contact with a sea creature.
He shared:
“It came up on me really quick. And I went under, and I could see it. And it wasn’t a shark, I don’t believe. But it had more like a flat mouth, and it came up and bumped one of my legs, and I kicked it with the other leg. It scared me, not knowing what it was … all I could see was a fin.”
There was nothing he could do while in the water.
He could only watch the sunrise and hope for the best. There was no one who could help him. He knew he was far from land too.
James was determined to survive.
He had no food there.
When he saw a floating stick, he took it and started chewing it. Although it didn’t taste that good, it helped him taste some flavor.
After 20 hours of treading water, he was saved on Thanksgiving.
The Coast Guard spotted him around 20 miles away from the coast of Louisiana.
He was waving frantically to get the attention of the rescuers.
Although he had mild hypothermia and extreme dehydration, he was in stable condition. For a lot of people who’ve heard his story, James’ survival can be considered a miracle.
Hear James’ incredible story of survival in the video below!
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