On July 20th, 2024, I planned a family vacation to celebrate my retirement. We rented a house on a canal in Marathon and brought along our 32′ Fountain center console boat. Equipped with twin 300 Mercury Verado engines.

We decided to replace two of the three batteries.

Around noon, my three sons and I headed offshore to a reef southeast of Marathon for some spearfishing. The seas were 1-2 feet, and the underwater visibility was about 10-15 feet—far from ideal conditions.

Afterward, I anchored the boat near the reef and left the motors running due to a battery issue, intending not to stay offshore for long because of the weather. I then jumped off the starboard side of the boat to check the visibility. Immediately afterward, I moved to the aft end on the starboard side to get back on board. As I approached, the starboard motor unexpectedly engaged at low speed and struck the left side of my thigh, causing a deep laceration.

I quickly climbed into the boat and saw the severity of the painful wound.

Two of my sons immediately recognized how serious the injury was and fashioned a tourniquet from a dock line, placing it on my upper left thigh to prevent blood loss. My other son activated the GlobalFix V6 EPIRB and used the UHF radio to call for assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard and the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Within an hour, Marathon Fire Rescue treated me at the dock. They them airlifted me to Jackson Hospital in Miami, where doctors performed urgent extensive surgery on my left leg.

I have fully recovered, aside from a nasty scar, and I owe my life to the EPIRB and the quick thinking of my boys, and their unwavering support!

Thank you ACR!