Trust the wall
"No day shall erase you from the memory of time" -Virgil
"The greatest casualty is being forgotten"
I share my story that I posted on my facebook. I included all the post's that pertain to my story. I still tear at the fact that i almost shared his fate and it frustrates me on how good people can be taken at a whim from your life. Below is my story on how I almost lost my life to the sea and how Stephen Wall came to my rescue.
May 10, 2014 @ 3pm in the norfolk marina, my life was almost taken. A sudden fast storm with gust winds and hail hit the Norfolk marina. I've been practicing swimming and being licensed to sail. I was trapped in the storm today and my boat capsized. I've been trained to handle capsizing but I fell in between my Vang and main sail lanyards. As I feared the worse of being tangled and having the boat turtle, Stephen Wall, I heard you say "take a breath and don't panic". I hit the water and my vest zipper popped off so I became trapped underneath the boat with lanyards tangled around my legs. I couldn't see past a foot in the water but I know you helped me stay calm and get untangled. Had i paniced i would of gone into shock and not lived.The next day was mothers day and I owe you and your family to be able to live and thank my mother. Tears and respect for you, thank you so much for watching over us.
I just cant believe he was there...it was definitely a life moment. I knew I was falling into my death and more so when I hit the water plus the boom to the head. I don't know why my vest popped off but I'm super thankful I heard him take a breath & stay calm.
You think having license's and swim quals would make you more prepared but I learned the hard way along with several others hurt outside today that mother nature and the water has no mercy. I couldn't of done it without him.
Even our instructor was surprised how fast this storm hit us. It was 30miles out west & normally takes a minute per mile. But this storm hit in what felt like five minutes. All of us who were involved filled out reviews on the 11th of may 2014 about the bruises and cuts we got. Six sail boats & we all capsized. Two got thrown into the rocks and even our instructors on two power boats seriously thought about abandoning rescue because they themselves were in severe danger. I don't blame them with that hail size marbles and wind. We did not have helmets and hats were soaked with water providing no protection.
My brother asked if i have told my mom about the event...how do you tell your mom on what's suppose to be a joyous day(mexican mother's day is on 10th may 2014) ...today might of been your last. I'm still shell shocked but I had to thank Stephen Wall for today. :'( it hurts so bad knowing you just lived a near death moment and can relate to a comrade...seriously, thank this man for watching over me today!
I had a navy captain as my crew mate. He helped me stay afloat as I fought my vest to stay on once I surfaced. I'm in the water again today(11 May 2014) and I'm still teary. Our instructor let us know our weather changed from 14 knots to 40+ around 3pm. We didn't have a chance but we did what we could to save everyone and the equipment. Appreciate the good wishes, just know a fellow comrade helped me from above.
Patti Gicas, thank you for raising such a wonderful man who still reaches out to help us. His spirit lives on and he is watching over us. I hope to be able to stop in Texas to show my gratitude(I do intend to stop in texas!). I can not thank you enough Patti.
I just got off the phone with my mom(12 May 2014, it took me some time to be able to tell her, she called me because i couldn't tell her. I had my older brother brief her). I couldn't find the gentle way to explain what happened but I did. She then told me that Friday night she dreamed of being at a marina with small sailboats going into the oceans horizon. She boarded a sail boat with a baby. She was in the middle and turned back to see my father smiling at how funny it is for my mom to be on a boat. She's afraid of the ocean. When she looked back to check on the baby she saw it had left on the sail boat alone and she was no longer in the boat. Panic ensued as she cried for someone to save her baby. She woke up after this and gave prayer to watch over her kids. She feared, as many dreams have gave her warning before, she was about to lose one of her babies to the ocean. I am the 2nd born out of four siblings. I was the one child she was not worried about. "I never thought you would be in harm." I'm thankful she prayed & stephen helped.
Its these moments in people's lives that prove their is a higher being and life after death. My mom always tells us, "no matter how old you get, your still my baby" :")
That day we were all learning the basic's of sailing. I went the next day, forcing myself, to go take my knowledge test. I passed and i'm licensed to sail. I am still pursuing licenses and future ownership of a sail boat. My song to this story would be Nearer my god to thee. I was left with bruises and scratches on my arms, buttocks, legs, hip, torso & feet. Panicing is the number one cause of people drowning. Going into shock lasts up to 30 minutes is what my instructor told us, once that happens your pretty much limp and very few survive.
My cousin Victor texted me at 3:01pm that day, I was in the water from 9am to 445pm. his text read "Wish you a nice weekend, enjoy & stay safe cousin". The irony of what cops would of found...I can't show enough grattitude to you stephen and his family. I can only wish to pay a small token of how thankful I am of your son living on and watching over us.
Looking at this weather report i did not know it went on for an hour +. hail from pebble to quarter size(.75inch), flying at 56+ mph as reported by the mwr wind meter at Naval Station Norfolk Sailing Center & Marina. Below is the weather history on that day. I did not make a false story, these events did happen and Stephen Wall lives on. God bless him and his family!
His memorial pamphlet sits in my room to this day and my mom has been putting out flowers for him, along with her children and their photos. From one mother to another, she sends her gratitude and thankfullness.
http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=AKQ&issuedby=AKQ&product=LSR&format=CI&version=35&glossary=0
000 NWUS51 KAKQ 102033 LSRAKQ
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 433 PM EDT SAT MAY 10 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS..
0308 PM HAIL HOLIDAY PARK 37.07N 76.32W 05/10/2014 E0.75 INCH CITY OF HAMPTON VA TRAINED SPOTTER
PEA TO DIME SIZED HAIL...45MPH WIND GUST
0310 PM MARINE TSTM WIND DOMINION TERM ASSOC 36.96N 76.42W 05/10/2014 M56 MPH CITY OF NEWPORT NE VA BUOY
0316 PM MARINE TSTM WIND 2 WNW WILLOUGHBY BEACH 36.98N 76.31W 05/10/2014 M44 MPH ANZ632 VA BUOY
WILLOUGHBY DEGUASSING STATION
0318 PM HAIL WILLOUGHBY BEACH 36.97N 76.29W 05/10/2014 E0.75 INCH CITY OF NORFOLK VA TRAINED SPOTTER
32MPH WIND GUST
0328 PM HAIL SMITHFIELD 36.98N 76.62W 05/10/2014 E0.88 INCH ISLE OF WIGHT VA LAW ENFORCEMENT
DIME TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL
0330 PM HAIL 5 N CHESTERFIELD 37.45N 77.51W 05/10/2014 E0.75 INCH CHESTERFIELD VA NWS EMPLOYEE
0342 PM MARINE TSTM WIND DOMINION TERM ASSOC 36.96N 76.42W 05/10/2014 M40 MPH CITY OF NEWPORT NE VA BUOY
0345 PM MARINE TSTM WIND 4 NNW CAPE HENRY 36.97N 76.05W 05/10/2014 M40 MPH ANZ634 VA BUOY
FIRST LANDING BUOY
0400 PM HAIL ZUNI 36.87N 76.82W 05/10/2014 M0.50 INCH ISLE OF WIGHT VA NWS EMPLOYEE
35MPH WIND GUST
&&
EVENT NUMBER AKQ1400922 AKQ1400919 AKQ1400918 AKQ1400921 AKQ1400924 AKQ1400925 AKQ1400920 AKQ1400917 AKQ1400923
$$
DAP