Well Saturday started off like any other day. We had nothing to do for once and were enjoying hanging around the house. We invited a friend over for dinner and were enjoying some great fellowship time. Then it happened the phone rang it was my dad asking if we know anyone with a boat. That kind of question throws you and you immediately know something is wrong. My brother Wayne had went fishing in his boat that morning and had not returned at the time he had said. My parents waited a little to make sure that he had not stopped off and did something else before getting to worried.
Well now he was 4 hours past the time he was suppose to be home and was not answering his cell phone. My parents called the Florida Wildlife Commission and Coast Guard. When the FWC answered they were already sitting next to my brother's truck at the boat ramp. They were on there way to the ramp so they could be there when they found him. Little did they know they were in for a very long night.
Meantime you try and not let your mind think the worst but I had already done it. My mind went there this is my little brother. I may never see him again I will never here him laugh, joke, or even see him smile. Oh my word I can not believe this is happening. This is so surreal. So Matt, our friend, and I stopped and pray asking God to protect them and keep them safe for them to be found and for us that are here waiting to have a peace that surpasses all understanding. I immediately felt a peace pour over me. We continued to fellowship for a couple more hours until our friend left. Matt could tell it was eating me up not to be there with my family and let me make the drive to get there knowing the drive was dangerous since it is midnight and very dense fog on top from were we live a good hour drive.
I made it and my parents, aunt, uncle, parents best friends, plus there kids were all there. So there we sat, stood and even laid on the ground at the boat ramp waiting for anything a sign, a sound, a phone call. That can be the worst part the waiting and not having control. We had a friend that brought a boat but we could not put it in the fog was so so bad. So there we all are trying to fill the silence and worry with joking and thinking of ways Wayne was going to buy us dinner and what we all wanted. At the same time knowing they were wet from the dew and cold b/c the wind was blowing. We knew Wayne had on shorts and were hoping he had kept his jacket. He had a friend with him and that added some comfort knowing he was not all alone in the pitch black dark. Every so often someone would try his cell phone just maybe this time he would pick up even though we knew the battery was dead. Coast guard called and let us know they had to pull their boats off the search again because the fog was just to dense. GRRR another set back we will put our boats in again at 4am. Well 4 am can and went and still the fog was just to much. So 7 am rolled around and the boats were going in right and left we were so happy to see them going in. On top of that every boat that came to the ramp was asking what was going on cause these crazy people (us) were all just standing around. We told and they were searching to. Praise God in these moments that complete strangers will take the time to look for a missing boat, but to us they are LOVED Ones. Never told you but while sitting there watching my parents and everyone pacing back and forth God kept me calm and anytime I felt myself going in the not so good thought area I would just pray and let it go. God was going to bring my brother home.
An hour into the boats being in the water we got word they found them. PRAISE GOD they found them. They were wet, cold, tired and hungry. They were safe it was going to take them another hour to tow them in but again they were SAFE.
Never have had that feeling and am sure I can not even explain it when we finally seen Wayne and were able to hug him.
That was the first time I had ever been to that boat ramp and after spending the entire night there I do not ever want to go back. LOL
During this entire time which felt like forever to us. We had so many prayer warriors praying. I posted on facebook and had people praying for him all over the US and in foreign countries. God is Great!
