The Most Incredible Hurricane Sandy Survival Story

Huffpost story about a man being swept out to sea by hurricane Sandy and surviving.

Huffpost story link here

Here is the note he left before he was saved by some guy on a jetski

Who ever reads this I’m DIEING – I’m 28 yrs old my name is Mike. I had to break in to your house. I took blankets off the couch. I have hypothermia. I didn’t take any thing. A wave thru me our of my house down the block. I don’t think I’m going to make it. The water outside is 10ft deep at least. There’s no res[c]ue. Tell my dad I love him and I tryed get[t]ing out. His number is ###-###-#### his name is Tony. I hope u can read this I’m in the dark. I took a black jacket too. Goodbye. God all mighty help me.

Note to self, keep boat tied to tree near back door...

"I was in water for like four hours. My kitchen went, and I thought the whole house was gonna go, so I walked out the front door, and the current took me all the way into the bay, like maybe a half a mile into the bay," Mike says in the interview. "You know, I opened up the door, to see what the big noise was, and all I saw was the bay. There was nothing there. And I got so freaked out. As soon as I opened up the door, the water rose five feet within three minutes."

Mike was in Green Island -- Toms River's northern-most waterfront community -- when the storm hit and he was swept out to Silver Bay. He tried to swim back to an unflooded house, but the current was too strong and the waves were piling over his head, reports New Jersey radio station 101.5

"Then there was a lady’s house, like five or six houses over from me, and I had no clothes on at the time, so I just went in their house, I just had one piece of clothing on me," he continued in the interview. "So I just went in their house, trying to find anything I can. She had towels on the couch. I just wrapped my body with the towels. Anything. I was so thirsty because I drank so much salt water. I didn’t think I was gonna make it. I called my father right before all this happened, and I said, ‘I ain’t gonna make it. Let me please live life.’ You know, I was so emotional, I was telling him right over the phone."

Mike spent two hours in the empty house, after swimming in the stormy bay for what he believes to be at least five hours straight.

Then, Mike says he was picked up by an unidentified man named Frank on a waveruner who took him to his house in Bergen County and gave him clothes, shelter, and helped to warm him up, reports Sojo 104.9 radio station.

That would really suck - I can't imagine opening my front door to nothing but water for as far as you can see...terrifying

What a terrifying experience! I can't imagine what Mike had to go through. He shouldn't be alive for all intensive purposes. Kudos to Frank for risking his life to save him! Take about thinking "your number has been punched." Thank God they both made it....WOW!!!

reply to post by coldkidc


Well, unless you are out on a house boat...

reply to post by Siberbat


After a day like that a regular "bad day" seems like a cake walk....

I can't even imagine. That's truly terrifying. Swimming in the bay for 5 hours with one piece of clothing on?? Wow I'm amazed this guy is alive. Good story, op.

reply to post by WhoFeelsitKnowsit


Yup, in cold water too.

We had a chart in CIC on the Dixon that estimated survival time in the water based on temperature. If the water was too warm, the sharks get cha. If too cold hypothermia will get cha.



Can't win, better to keep the ship afloat.