A seasoned fisherman from North Carolina is counting his blessings today after being rescued nearly 30 miles offshore.
According to local affiliate ABC12, the man named Graham Taylor was tossed overboard 30 miles out to sea was saved by two men in a passing boat.
North Carolina fisherman thankful to be alive after being saved from ocean https://t.co/qJzutVzXwr
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Taylor told ABC12 that he took his boat out into slightly rough seas early that morning and set his bait as usual when he was hit by a large wave.
Fortunately for Graham, he was able to stay afloat thanks to his personal floatation device. But unfortunately, he did lose his boat leaving him stranded at sea.
“Got hit by a rogue wave and within a split second, I was over the side of the boat, floating in the water,” Taylor told ABC12.
“So I’m floating, unfortunately my boat was in gear, and running about 2 MPH, so no way of catching my boat. Just had to wave cheerio to it and hope that somebody would come along and see me, and pick me up,” Taylor said.
Taylor told the outlet that he kept telling himself “don’t panic, just stay focused, keep focused, and hopefully somebody’s going to come along.”
And that’s exactly what happened.
Good Samaritans Chad Price and his friend David Holeman, also out fishing that morning, showed up, according to ABC12.
Chad and David said the waters at their initial fishing spot were too rough, so they went searching for a new place to cast their lines, ABC12 reported.
As the two turned around and came back, Holeman noticed Taylor in the water, according to the outlet.
Taylor, who had been floating in the water for an hour, told ABC12, “I don’t know what put him there, I have no idea, but he was there for a reason. He was there to see me and pick me up.”
Price seconded Taylor’s statement by telling the outlet, “I also believe that God leads you in certain pathways, and I think that day even those it wasn’t anything we expected, or were looking for, I think god put us crossing paths with Graham.”
Taylor said that he’s not a big churchgoer, but he felt “that somebody was looking out for me.”