In 2011 upon returning from a deployment to Afghanistan my father, Phil Sanabria, was in desperate need of an outlet for dealing with the stress associated with that trip. He soon became obsessed with sailing and the idea of traveling the world on a sailboat in retirement. If you know Phil, then you will not be surprised that instead of simply dreaming about it, he acted. In the years sense, he purchased and restored a 34' Seafarer Sailboat named Mimi (and of course, learned to sail her). Set to retire later this year, everything was in place to make his retirement dream a reality.

Then, at 1 o'clock in the morning on June 9th 2020 my dad received a phone call informing him that Mimi had caught fire, burned and sank in her slip at Ben's Lake Marina on Eglin Air Force Base. It was a total loss, and while the insurance will cover the recovery and cleanup/salvage costs, it will provide nothing towards replacement of the boat. It is impossible to convey how much this boat meant to him, his retirement and his mental health. My father has spent most of his life helping others, but typical of his generation, is not one to ask for help himself.

This is why I have created a fundraiser on his behalf, to raise money for him to buy another boat and resurrect his retirement dream.  Please consider donating funds that will go toward the purchase of another sailboat.





About Phil

For those who may not know my dad, here is a little background information. Phil is currently 57 years old and still serving in the United States Army as a Civil Affairs NCO attached to 7th Special Forces group. He reenlisted after a nearly 20 year break in service as a 47 year old infantry recruit! Assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, he deployed to Afghanistan in 2010, where he received a Purple Heart for wounds sustained in combat. Sense then, he has continued his military career in the Special Operations community as member of Civil Affairs. He is currently in the process of a Medical Board for multiple issues that are all too familiar to long time service members (reconstructed shoulders, back surgery, PTSD...) and is likely facing a medical retirement later this year.


About Mimi

Mimi was a 1972, 34' Seafarer Sailboat which my father was able to purchase for $12K. She needed work but was just what he was looking for, a boat capable of ocean voyage. For the last several years, Phil has been restoring her, and had recently gotten to the point that all that was left was to repaint the outer hull. Overall, he had put an additional $15K into restoration and repairs, including; new anchor rode, chains and windlass, head sail repair, plumbing, new bilge pumps, repainting the cabin, replacement of the water tank and all hoses and engine work. 

The cause of the fire remains unknown, but it is suspected that it was either a lightning strike from the storm that night or an electrical fire originating from the onboard fan attached to the one 110v ground power outlet on the boat. In either case, the efforts to extinguish the fire ultimately sank the boat and she and everything on board was lost. Needless to say Phil is heartbroken. 

Thank you for taking the time to read about this accident. I know 2020 has been a pretty difficult year for most already, and one more crappy event is not what anyone wants to hear about. I am hoping, however, to turn this into something positive. I know it is a lofty goal to raise this much money, but if all the people who my dad has made a difference to over the years contribute what they can, and share this link, I am sure we can make a dent.