“That’s the reason they are alive,” Bartell says.
Tummond says that every decision Bryan and Aponte made while they were at sea “100% increased their chances of survival.”
“What Mom and Dad taught them — it stuck. And thank God they were able to remember some of those life skills,” Tummond says.
He notes that the teens wrung out their sopping-wet clothes before putting them back on to stay warm once they reached the marshland.
“Then they hunkered down for the night,” Tummond says. He explains that they had to stay put because the area was covered in razor-sharp oysters.
“These girls were smart,” Tummond says.
Bartell was present during the “magical moment” when Bryan and Aponte were reunited with their families. They were later taken to a local hospital, where they received treatment for hypothermia and dehydration before being discharged on March 20.
The sister of one of the missing girls gave Bartell a heartfelt thank you.
“The emotions were just flooding that boat ramp from everyone,” Bartell says. “There was one little girl in particular, who shot through the crowd and ran up … and she just gave me the biggest hug that I’ve ever gotten in my entire life. At that point, we both had tears in our eyes.”
“It was an emotional return,” he continues. “You could just feel the joy in everyone single per
Leave a Reply