When James Michael Grimes fell overboard from a Carnival cruise ship within the Gulf of Mexico, he mentioned the sheer will to stay, together with energy from God, saved him alive as he miraculously swam for what he believes was greater than 15 hours.
Grimes, 28, who described himself as an "common man" who likes searching, fishing and being outdoor, was rescued final weekend and instructed CNN he's "blessed to be right here."
The Alabama native was onboard the Carnival Valor with 18 members of his household for the week of the Thanksgiving vacation.
It was the evening earlier than Thanksgiving when Grimes, who was at an onboard bar together with his sister, went to make use of a restroom round 11 pm, his sister recalled, in keeping with a Carnival assertion to CNN.
The very last thing he remembers earlier than regaining consciousness within the water was going to take heed to stay music aboard the ship with household, he mentioned, and he does 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 instructed 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 useless,' " Grimes mentioned.
Grimes mentioned he isn't able to floating, and credited his survival to his religion and constructive angle, including he even created songs to maintain his spirits up.
He swam by means of two colleges of jellyfish and watched the solar rise throughout his time within the water, and mentioned he misplaced virtually 9 kilograms throughout the expertise.
"The lord gave me the need to stay. It is a miracle," he instructed CNN.
"I wasn't going to surrender at any cut-off date simply say, that is it, that is the top.
"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 below, and I may see it. And it wasn't a shark, I do not imagine.
"Nevertheless it had extra like a flat mouth, and it got here up and bumped considered one of my legs, and I kicked it with the opposite leg. It scared me, not realizing what it was ... all I may see was a fin," he instructed ABC earlier.
At one other level, Grimes grabbed a floating stick, which he mentioned "appeared like bamboo," and began chewing it.
"It gave some sort of taste in my mouth apart from saltwater," he instructed ABC.
Grimes additionally mentioned he had conversations with God throughout his time within the Gulf.
"'Lord, my worst worry is drowning. I do not know why you set me out right here on this trial, however I do know you are going to get me by means of 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 acquired to maintain swimming till they do."
Grimes' household had reported him lacking at midday on Thanksgiving.
He ultimately noticed lights from a tanker ship, and swam towards it, he had instructed ABC.
The ship's crew noticed him round 8.25 pm and alerted the Coast Guard, which despatched a helicopter crew to hoist him out of the water, the service mentioned.
The Coast Guard member who rescued him appeared like a guardian angel coming down from the helicopter, Grimes instructed CNN.
Lt. Seth Gross, a search and rescue coordinator for the USCG instructed CNN if Grimes was within the water for 15 hours, it is "absolutely the longest that I've heard about, and simply a kind of Thanksgiving miracles."
"The truth that he was in a position to hold himself afloat and above the floor of the water for such an prolonged time frame, it is simply one thing you may't take with no consideration and definitely one thing that'll follow me ceaselessly," Gross mentioned, including the case confirmed how a lot "the need to stay is one thing that you could 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.
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"If that is the worst factor I ever need to undergo once more, I believe I will be okay," Grimes mentioned. "Being the Alabama fan that I'm, I used to be on the market simply rolling with the tide."