In 2005, 15-year-old Troy Driscoll and his 17-year-old friend Josh Long from North Charleston, S.C., went fishing on a 15-foot boat but were quickly caught by powerful riptides that dragged them far into open ocean waters without radio or emergency gear. They were lost at sea for seven days, drifting about 111 miles from shore, enduring hunger, dehydration, sunburn, and shark encounters while desperately trying to survive.It started out as an ordinary Sunday for 15-year-old Troy Driscoll and his 17-year-old best friend, Josh Long. The two high schoolers from North Charleston, S.C.took their 15-foot boat out for what they thought would be a simple day of fishing on April 24, 2005. Within minutes, powerful riptides pulled their small boat away from shore — so far and so fast that it would be days before anyone knew what had happened to them.They were “soaking wet, clinging to each other, trying to keep warm,” Josh recalled.
During the ordeal, they drank rainwater when possible but avoided ocean water despite its tempting appearance, faced delirium from lack of food, and resorted to eating jellyfish to survive. The boys were ultimately spotted by fishermen and rescued seven days later, suffering sunburn and extreme weight loss but alive. They had promised to celebrate with the biggest ice cream sundae once safe.“Out there, we dreamed about the ultimate sundae, the biggest one you could think of,” Josh said. “Troy and I are going to meet at an ice cream place and have that sundae.”
