An Oklahoma couple who went missing while scuba diving have spoken out and revealed the horrific injuries they suffered while lost at sea.
Kim and Nathan Maker spent 38 hours floating in treacherous waters off the coast of Texas after a storm separated them from their diving group.
The couple held each other tightly as the U.S. Coast Guard searched for them over more than 1,600 miles.
They suffered jellyfish stings and sunburn while sailing through the shark-infested waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the family said Nathan was nearly in a diabetic coma when he was rescued, the report said. COCONUT.
“Because our body temperatures were dropping, we needed to keep swimming or we probably would have frozen to death,” Kim said. Good morning america.
Kim (left) and Nathan (right) Maker were rescued after 38 hours floating in the treacherous waters off the coast of Texas.
They suffered jellyfish stings and sunburn while boating in the shark-infested waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the family said Nathan was in a near diabetic coma.
“He (Nathan) is absolutely the reason we’re alive, just keeping us encouraged because it would have been really easy to give up.”
The couple became separated from their group after helping another woman who had lost control of the rope that helps divers reach calmer waters.
As the woman clung to the rope, Kim was knocked down and a storm quickly broke out and swept the couple away.
“The boat kept getting smaller and smaller until it disappeared completely from sight,” Nathan said.
“Kim and I just took inventory of what we had on us and got together.”
When the storm came and other divers returned to the boat, they immediately noticed that the Creators had disappeared and began searching for them.
The group called for help from the Coast Guard, which was just eight hours into the search when they found the Makers.
Satellite images captured the moment rescuers spotted the couple from the plane in the murky waters early Friday and sent a boat to rescue them.
The couple became separated from their group after helping another woman who had lost control of her descent rope.
After the couple was discharged from the hospital, they headed to their favorite Houston deli, Kenny & Ziggy’s.
Satellite images captured the moment rescuers spotted the couple from the plane in the murky waters early Friday and sent a boat to rescue them.
“When that plane turned its nose towards us, Kim activated his SOS light and saw us,” Nathan said.
“Out of the corner of my eye we saw a speedboat approaching at full speed and suddenly I could hear the voices of the coast guard,” Kim said.
“This sounds corny, but I truly believe we saw the hand of God that day and it was the hand of the Coast Guard,” Nathan said.
“I think the most important thing was just believing in each other.”
Family and friends are calling the rescue nothing short of a miracle as storm waves threatened to swallow the couple whole.
“We thank everyone for their concern and prayers. This miracle was performed by the Coast Guard at the behest of God,” said Charles Owen, Nathan’s uncle. KFOR.
Kim and Nathan are experienced divers who tied themselves to each other and kept each other’s spirits up as they waited for help.
When the storm came and other divers returned to the boat (pictured), they immediately noticed that the Creators had disappeared and began searching for them.
The creators are incredibly grateful to the US Coast Guard and said they plan to dive again in the future.
Lisa Shearin, a fellow diver who went on the fateful trip, said: “People don’t survive that without having a story to tell. They have a bigger purpose, obviously, God really saved them.”
After the couple left the hospital, they went to their favorite Houston restaurant, Kenny & Ziggy’s.
The restaurant shared a photo on Facebook featuring one of the owners and the couple as they enjoyed their meal.
“As they floated in the water, unprotected, they said all they could think about was wanting to eat at Kenny & Ziggy’s,” the outlet said.
“They were discharged from the hospital this morning and went straight to the feed store to eat and Ziggy was able to meet them. It’s a real miracle that they weren’t hurt or attacked or eaten by sharks.”