FL FL - NFL Players missing off Clearwater Pass - Boat capsized - 28 Feb 2009

[Tonia]

Missing at sea, players shared bond


Late Tuesday, the Smiths and Coopers began formulating a new plan that would perhaps include their own rescue mission in Clearwater Pass. The Bleakleys might have resigned themselves early in the day, but the nagging questions and frustrations will likely always persist.
Bob Bleakley wondered aloud many times: "How do you have a funeral with no body?"

This article is very lengthy. I am wondering if the family will try on their own to look for these men.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3949959

 

[lizzybeth]

I understand the Coast Guard's decision, but I hope there is some type of effort to retrieve these men. They deserve that and so do their families.

The NFL players donating money is a good idea.

 

[PattyCake]

Does the title bother anyone else or is it just me? There was 4 men affected not just two NFL players( and I am not talking about the OP of this thread) I am saying the news say 2 nfl ect ect but its NOT just about 2 NFL players NORE are they more important then the other 2 men. JMO prayers going out for everyone.

yeah bothers me too. the media is also 'guilty' of touting about the 2 NFL players as if that mattered more.
Those poor men & their families. I cannot imagine the utter helplessness they must feel. Thank the Lord for one miracle out of it!
:blowkiss:

 

[jaxibear]

yeah bothers me too. the media is also 'guilty' of touting about the 2 NFL players as if that mattered more.
Those poor men & their families. I cannot imagine the utter helplessness they must feel. Thank the Lord for one miracle out of it!
:blowkiss:

I agree. I read one article that didn't even mention the other two at all.

 

[samsmom02]

My thoughts and prayers for the families and the four men. I am keeping the hope.

 

[Sleuthster]

The media is not your friend. I have heard this many a time. The truth is, the media is there to do a job, get a story and sensationalize on it to get the most viewers/readers.

It's a sad fact that the football players helped them meet their goal. There where some however that did focus on the true story of 4 men missing after going out too far in choppy weather which was not safe and it turned tragic.

This story really broke my heart, not because of who they where, but because of how young they where and what they could have been. instead tragically no one can ever know.

I looked at pics on fox of these guys and it is gut wretching to see pics of Marquis Cooper reading to children, and packaging food for the needy. It is equally as depressing to see Will Bleakley laughing or playing golf, so full of life and hope.

It is the void that is now there. Three men missing from our world that have left sadness and unkowing to their families as well as many many others who wished for the best and are now facing the unknown.

 

[Roxanne]

Someplace quoted Nick as saying he kept telling himself "My mother is NOT going to my funeral" to keep himself going. Roxanne, are you his Mom's sister? I am so happy for his family and at the same time so sad for the others.

Yes, we can't wonder why they did "impractical things" because they would not have been thinking clearly. That's the reason they're unsure how accurate Nick's story is. Not that they think he's lying, they just know that none of the men would have been thinking clearly at some point after going into the water.

No, his Mom is my SIL. IMO, Nick WAS thinking clearly the entire time...that's how he survived and stayed on/with that boat.

 

[Roxanne]

Does the title bother anyone else or is it just me? There was 4 men affected not just two NFL players( and I am not talking about the OP of this thread) I am saying the news say 2 nfl ect ect but its NOT just about 2 NFL players NORE are they more important then the other 2 men. JMO prayers going out for everyone.

Honestly, the fact that there were two NFL players on that boat helped us. Would the search have been different if it was just 4 ordinary guys out fishing for the day?? I think so.

 

[Sleuthster]

Private Search launched

http://www.tampabay.com/news/article981113.ece

 

[JDB]

Private Search launched

http://www.tampabay.com/news/article981113.ece

This is from the article. I think the 3 men were losing there minds being in the water. In another article I read it stated the 2 NFL players took the life jackets off and drifted away. While the other one thought he saw a Light and tried to siwm to it.


Today, the Times reported that Schuyler told Coast Guard officials about watching two of his friends drift away and a third swim for help.

 

[GraceBlue]

Its such a shame. My heart goes out to the families of the three men. I hope they at least find their bodies to give them a proper burial.

Today is such a warm day down here. Why did it have to be so cold the last few days.

 

[Sleuthster]

Fund set up to help continue search

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2009/3/4/444498.html?title=Dad+of+missing+boater+makes+plea

 

[PattyCake]

Its such a shame. My heart goes out to the families of the three men. I hope they at least find their bodies to give them a proper burial.

Today is such a warm day down here. Why did it have to be so cold the last few days.

Certainly know very little about the ocean but if they were far out enough, I sadly suspect they will never be found. I tend to believe the foxnews story about the one survivor explaining how 2 of them gave up. That, in hypothermia cases, I have heard of. People feel very warm, start undressing, get very delusional and do strange things.

In Houston / Galveston with Ike, there are people that will never be found because they were swept out to sea. God Bless them all, hoping against hope that there is one more miracle to be had with this story.

A few guys doing guy things, fishing and such a sad ending.

 

[ges79]

In Houston / Galveston with Ike, there are people that will never be found because they were swept out to sea. God Bless them all, hoping against hope that there is one more miracle to be had with this story.

Think you're right. Back in 2000-01, I remember Scott Smith, bassist for the 80's rock band Loverboy, was swept off his sailboat by a rogue wave near the Golden Gate Bridge. After several days of searching by the Coast Guard and a private search funded by his bandmates, Scott was never found either.

 

[wildTrose]

anyone hear anything?
not to be disrespectful...or gross but I thought bodies floated after a certain amount of time in water....I just cant understand why they havnt been found. Washed ashore or something...
Hubby said there shouldnt be an issue with sharks as the water is too cold for them...

 

[Sassygerl]

I would think sharks would still be a concern for sure. I hope they can recover their bodies, but sadly I am not very hopeful.

 

[PattyCake]

anyone hear anything?
not to be disrespectful...or gross but I thought bodies floated after a certain amount of time in water....I just cant understand why they havnt been found. Washed ashore or something...
Hubby said there shouldnt be an issue with sharks as the water is too cold for them...

I know when I went to San Francisco, they said there's sharks all over their bays. It's generally almost always cold water in northern CA. I haven't a clue about the type of sharks in florida however. I'm not sure about floating though, I think a body would sink and if it's a lake, they can resurface after a couple of weeks. For the ocean, I think it's far too deep to resurface. Again, I go back to the people here in Texas missing from Ike. Families have been told they will never be found. Sadly had that experience as a teen, saw our friend drown out far into the lake.

Still praying, I feel for the families. Never being able to say goodbye is a very hard thing to live with.

 

[RiverRat]

Trust me - we do swim with sharks down here in the Gulf year round.

 

[Carla Lashelle]

Honestly, the fact that there were two NFL players on that boat helped us. Would the search have been different if it was just 4 ordinary guys out fishing for the day?? I think so.

actually the USCGS rescues garden variety fishermen, plane crash survivors, etc all the time. its not cool to slam an outfit that tries pretty hard to save people (who have often put themselves into great danger by being dumb).

This was pointed out on the (Tampa) MJ Morning Show radio broadcast the other day... you can buy an emergency GPS singnal for as low as $200... turns out it was recommended in this sad case...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,505172,00.html

 

[Tonia]

Trust me - we do swim with sharks down here in the Gulf year round.

That was what i was thinking about from the beginning of all this. I wondered if maybe thats why they were not found.

The only things i could find about this today was two articles. The second one is heart-breaking.

Two days before tragic trip, NFL player was urged to buy life-saving device

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/accidents/article981141.ece

Missing Boater's Dad Says Son is Gone

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/Missing_Boaters_Dad_Says_Son_is_Gone_030509