Tampa Boaters Rescue Sailor From Capsized Boat

Stephanie Blackmon and her friend were enjoying a Sunday boat ride near Davis Islands when they spotted something alarming: a man clinging to his capsized sailboat in rough, windy conditions.

"You could see fear on his face," Blackmon said. "So that's when we knew."

Without hesitation, the pair pulled the struggling sailor from the water onto their boat. But their good deed didn't stop there.

For the next hour, Blackmon and her friend worked to tow the capsized vessel and its sail back to shore. "It was actually probably about an hour because we didn't know what we were doing," Blackmon admitted.

The small sailing vessel had gone down during windy and rainy weather. The sailor was fortunate that other boaters were nearby and willing to help.

Sunny's Take

Blackmon's humility shines as brightly as her actions. When people called her a hero, she brushed it off completely.

"People keep saying that. I'm like, 'No, we just helped him get up back on the boat,'" she said. "I definitely would not use that word."

But her experience taught her valuable lessons she wants others to know. Looking back, Blackmon realized she should have sent a life vest first, called 911, and then helped the person onto the boat.

"You don't think of that, you just go into action, and you just think, 'Let me get this guy out of the water,'" she explained. "You think about those things later."

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reminds all boaters to carry life jackets and have a way to call 911 when on the water. These simple precautions can mean the difference between a close call and a tragedy.

The rescued sailor's identity hasn't been released, and no injuries were reported. Thanks to two strangers who chose compassion over convenience, he's safe and sound.