An Alabama man who fell off a Carnival cruise ship spoke to ABC News this week about surviving after treading water for nearly 20 hours.
James Grimes, 28, claims he isn’t sure how he fell off the Carnival Valor ship into the Gulf of Mexico the night of Nov. 23. “The next thing I know… I regained consciousness. I was in the water with no boat in sight,” he said.
Grimes, who was aboard the five-day cruise with 18 of his family members for Thanksgiving, was reported missing by his sister after he didn’t make it back to his cabin that night. Grimes was last seen with his sister at a restaurant, before he went to the restroom and wasn’t heard from again.
As soon as he was aware of his situation, Grimes says he decided he was going to make it out of there alive.
“I felt like I was given a chance right then… you’re alive for a reason… that [fall] could’ve killed me, but I felt like from that moment on, I was trying to stay positive. And, you know when you’re here, you’re still alive for a reason. So, all you got to do now is swim and survive. I was hoping… they will start looking for me… they will find me eventually,” Grimes said.
Grimes also said he survived due to sheer determination to see his family again.
“I wanted to see my family and I was dead set on making it out of there. I was never accepting that this is it, this is going to be the end of my life. I’m 28 years old. I’m too young. This is not going to be it,” Grimes said.
“I always thought there’s a greater purpose for my life. Now, I know for sure I’m meant to do something on this Earth. And, you know, I don’t know. It was just the Lord was out there helping me, giving me strength and helping me stay afloat,” he added.
Grimes, who his rescuers believe was moments away from dying due to the hypothermia, shock and dehydration he was suffering from, was airlifted by the U.S. Coast Guard on Nov. 24. shortly after 8 p.m.
“The Jayhawk aircrew hoisted the man onto the helicopter and transferred him to awaiting emergency medical services at the New Orleans Lakefront Airport,” a statement from the Coast Guard read.
“We greatly appreciate the efforts of all, most especially the U.S. Coast Guard and the mariner who spotted the guest in the water,” the Coast Guard said in a statement Thursday to ABC News. “Cruise ships have safety barriers in all public areas that are regulated by U.S. Coast Guard standards that prevent a guest from falling off. Guests should never ever climb up on the rails. The only way to go overboard is to purposefully climb up and over the safety barriers.”
