Richard and Kayla from Georgia recently shared their harrowing yet inspiring story of survival during a fishing trip in June 2020. This trip, meant to be a bonding experience between Richard and his father, took an unexpected turn when a sudden storm capsized their boat.
It all began when Richard invited his father on their first fishing trip together. They set out on a familiar lake, planning for a night of fishing and quality time. As they prepared to launch the boat, Richard’s wife, Kayla, reminded him to wear his life jacket—a reminder he initially dismissed but later complied with.
The evening started peacefully as the father-son duo fished for a few hours. However, at around 8:30 p.m., a storm came out of nowhere, with fierce winds and strong currents that quickly capsized their boat. Richard found himself separated from his father in the turbulent waters.
As Richard struggled to stay afloat, he realised that his life jacket, which had miraculously stayed in the boat despite the storm, was his lifeline. He swam for 12 hours, battling exhaustion and the fear of alligators lurking in the lake. At one point, he even floated against what he believed was an alligator, but fortunately, they both went their separate ways.
Richard eventually reached the shore after hours of relentless swimming. He was exhausted, cold, and in desperate need of rest. He found himself on what locals called “Alligator Island,” where alligators were particularly aggressive during their mating season. Despite the danger, he managed to find a spot to dry off and recover, though he remained vigilant of the nearby alligators.
As dawn broke, Richard saw rescue boats in the distance but feared they wouldn’t spot him. He hung his shirt on a branch as a signal and prayed for a miracle. Just as he was losing hope, one of the rescue boats noticed his shirt and came to his aid. A nurse on board informed Richard that he wouldn’t have survived much longer due to hypothermia and dehydration.
Reflecting on the experience, Richard drew a powerful analogy between his life jacket and faith. “God equips us with what we need,” he said. “The life jacket was like the Bible—you can have it, but if you don’t apply it, it means nothing.”
Listen to Richard’s full story below.