Raising money for the men that saved our lives

On October 30th at 5:19 Pm standard time, a ZOLEO distress text was sent by myself, Captain Kody Kessell, while myself and my crew/good friends were bringing home from Cabo, an 82’ Hatteras enclosed bridge sport fisher Reel Pain 2. Myself and my two crew members, Jared Tippit and James Fisher, were dead in the water with a smoked out engine room caused by a runaway generator. Unable to access the engine room with fire suppression and the boat beginning to catch fire, we had no choice but to abandon ship together. With no power to the Davit, the tender and Wave-runner could not be lifted from the bow into the water. At this time, the life raft was out of reach on the roof and going up in flames with the boat beginning to burn. Jared pushed a kayak from the bow into the water, we put on life vests and abandoned ship. We were lucky enough to have grabbed an EPIRB, one cell phone with the ZOLEO device, and a SAT phone.

My brother, Joshua, was the one who received the distress call and made the call to USCG, who called the Mexican navy. Among many calls Joshua made to people, who we can never repay enough, we were too far out of reach for anyone to get to us before dark and would be floating on this kayak with no end in sight, no fresh water, and little to no communication to the world. Simply a hope and prayer that the SOS sent out went through, and that the EPIRB did its job.

After about an hour of floating and hoping, a Mexican fishing vessel named “Progreso 1” had abandoned their fishing and work of making a living to help us after seeing the smoke 5 miles away. They were the only vessel within a 60 mile radius. We were picked up and now safe on board Progreso after sundown where we were able to make a sat phone call to Joshua to let him know we would survive. By now, the united states coast guard was in contact with the Mexican navy but had given Joshua no confirmation that an emergency search was underway or had begun yet.

Without Captain Alex on the Progreso 1, we may not be here with our families and children today. Captain Alex left his fishing mission and cut his nets free of his boat, despite this being his only source of income for his own family and using his own gas at his own expense. Upon rescue, Captain Alex clothed, fed, and hydrated us, while pointing towards San Carlos to get us back to land. It was a slow cruise back, in hopes that the Mexican navy would meet us somewhere along the way, however, the Mexican navy did not depart port until the following morning, 17 hours after the SOS signal was sent out. If it wasnt for Captain Alex, we would have been floating in the water, all night, not knowing when or if we would ever see our families again.

Captain Alex informed me that he worries about the Mexican navy interfering with him going forward, due to Alex helping us before the navy could, as it is a “Bad Look” for the navy. He explained that regardless of that, he knew what the right thing to do is and didn’t think twice. Knowing we didn't have anything with us but the clothes on our backs and no money, he offered me the only cash he had, and his personal debit card with minimal on it, along with a handwritten letter to hopefully help us get through the struggles we were going to face without a passport or any ID to get home.

I believe you will agree that the world needs more people like him these days.

I am never one to ask for money, but I’m asking if anyone would like to Donate to Captain Alex and his family/crew, even so much as $1, we want to repay Captain Alex and his family/crew for any lost wages or time they may have faced when they made that decision to cut loose their gear and help James, Jared and I. Let alone any recourse he may or may not face from Mexican navy on the water, which I hope does not happen. As I know times are tough for everyone, please do not feel like you have to donate. Any consideration given is more than enough.

To those of us in the fishing/boating industry I urge, if nothing else, that if the opportunity ever presents itself one day that we will all make the call to help however we can on the water. It could mean the difference between getting someone home to their loved ones or not. A father to his children, a husband to his wife. one of our own back home. That one hope or single prayer is answered.

Thank you is an understatement but thank you.

Coordinates of the incident:

25.31.8

113.14.65