How would someone survive if they were stranded in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico for nearly a day?
James Michael Grimes—who fell off a cruise ship over Thanksgiving week and survived 20 hours in the ocean without life vest, boat, or supplies—told Good Morning America how he did it.
Mostly it was fending off jellyfish.
You can see his story here:
\u201cEXCLUSIVE: James Michael Grimes said he treaded water for nearly 20 hours after falling overboard overboard on a Carnival cruise ship on Thanksgiving Eve -- battling jelly fish, rip currents and shark-infested waters before being airlifted by the U.S. Coast Guard.\n\n @evapilgrim\u201d— Good Morning America (@Good Morning America) 1669985264
Grimes doesn't remember how he went from saying goodnight to his sister on Thanksgiving Eve after a few drinks on their Carnival cruise to waking up in the water with no ship in sight.
He somehow managed to survive 20 hours treading water, avoiding jellyfish, gnawing on floating bamboo and dodging something weird and large with a fin.
“It came up on me really quick and I went under, and I could see it. And it wasn’t a shark, I don’t believe."
"But it had more like a flat mouth, and it came up and bumped one of my legs, and I kicked it with the other leg."
"It scared me, not knowing what it was, all I could see was a fin.”
Miraculously, when Grimes was picked up by a Coast Guard tanker nearly a whole day and night after falling overboard, he was in stable condition.
“I was never accepting that this is it—this is going to be the end of my life.”
Reactions to his ordeal were mixed.
Some felt his story confirmed their worst fears about cruise ships.
\u201c@GMA @EvaPilgrim My worst fear is being alone in the open ocean. This is why I don\u2019t go in cruises.. or in the ocean at all ever lol\u201d— Good Morning America (@Good Morning America) 1669985264
\u201c@GMA @EvaPilgrim Wow!! My anxiety was on 10 watching this.\u201d— Good Morning America (@Good Morning America) 1669985264
\u201c@GMA @EvaPilgrim Another reason why I have no interest in cruises. Just the thought of being stuck on a huge ship with thousands of people in the middle of the ocean is anxiety inducing enough.\u201d— Good Morning America (@Good Morning America) 1669985264
\u201c@MichelleNews3LV @GMA @EvaPilgrim No doubt! A shark or some other mysterious deep sea creature is bound to bite ya and that\u2019s a wrap. I stay clear of the ocean too!\u201d— Good Morning America (@Good Morning America) 1669985264
But others?
Others were focused on how he wound up in the water.
\u201c@GMA @EvaPilgrim I can't get over this story. Never ever could someone be blackout drunk, fall off a massive ship in the ocean. Swim/survive alone in the water for 20 something hours and survive? It just doesn't make sense at all...\u201d— Good Morning America (@Good Morning America) 1669985264
\u201c@GMA @EvaPilgrim I would like to know how somebody fell off a cruise ship it is designed for safety. I would love for them to explain the truth of how he ended up in the water cause I doubt he just fell not to be rude but just doesn't happen\u201d— Good Morning America (@Good Morning America) 1669985264
\u201c@GMA @EvaPilgrim We all know he was blackout drunk, he needs to be fr\u201d— Good Morning America (@Good Morning America) 1669985264
\u201c@GMA @EvaPilgrim You can tell this dude was lying the whole time while she was asking how much he was drinking.\u201d— Good Morning America (@Good Morning America) 1669985264
\u201c@GMA @EvaPilgrim Dude was blitzed. The only reason he's not being truthful is for the lawsuit you know he'll be filing. He's already been coached by lawyers. It's almost impossible to fall over a balcony unless you're pushed or wasted. The cruise ship should have cameras that caught this.\u201d— Good Morning America (@Good Morning America) 1669985264
\u201c@GMA @EvaPilgrim He said he went to use the bathroom. The family didn't notice he was missing until *hours* later. Which makes me think they thought, 'he's just drunk again' & didn't find it odd when he didn't come back right away.\nI think he was blackout drunk. That's why he doesn't remember.\u201d— Good Morning America (@Good Morning America) 1669985264
However he wound up in the water, people were impressive how long he survived.
\u201c@GMA @EvaPilgrim There are lots of comments here about his drinking, but let\u2019s look past that and see what is effectively a miracle. Well done Coast Guard!\u201d— Good Morning America (@Good Morning America) 1669985264
He wrapped up the interview well, as one commenter highlighted with a quote.
\u201c@GMA @EvaPilgrim GMA/Eva: \u201cWill you go on another cruise?\u201d \n\nMichael Grimes: \u201cI really didn\u2019t get a chance to go on this one.\u201d\u201d— Good Morning America (@Good Morning America) 1669985264
Maybe he'll get his true cruise another day, if he can stand going on the ocean again.
Glen Powell/NBC
Glen Powell/NBC
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