21-yr-old was swept away by current and nowhere to be found—his family and friends pulled a brave move to locate him
Our loved ones often refuse to give up on us and become resilient, especially when things get tough. Their expression of love is to stay intact and strong, facing whatever challenges come their way. For 21-year-old Dylan Gartenmayer, his friends and family ensured they left no stone unturned when he went missing, ABC 7 reported. The young man had gone diving at the Western Sambo Reef in Key West, Florida, when a strong current swept him away. Having lost his boat, he was stranded in the middle of nowhere, leaving loved ones worried sick. Nevertheless, they defied the odds to rescue him.
The man was stranded far away and though he could see his boat, it was impossible for him to get to it. His cousin, Priscilla Gartenmayer, noted that after he was swept away, his friends could no longer see him, CNN revealed. Despite a frantic search, there were no clues surfacing. They then decided to call the Coast Guard to find out about the man. Hours had passed by and there was still no sign of the 21-year-old. It must have been terrifying for the family to wonder how Dylan was doing. In the meantime, he used whatever tactics he had to stay afloat.
He used bamboo first and then even cut buoys to create a hammock-like device. The family was in deep worry when Sean Caggiano, one of Dylan’s friends, received a clue. "I got a call from someone on the boat that Dylan was diving from that he was missing for two hours and I had them send me the coordinates,” he recalled. Hope lit up once again and without wasting any time, he decided to get into action. Locating the man was undoubtedly going to be tough but a united concern and determination seemed promising. Caggiano headed straight to Dylan’s grandfather’s house to get the family together.
The family and friends got into a boat they had and set out to search for Dylan themselves. An unusual, worrisome and even unpredictable move. They had no idea what to expect but they knew they wanted to give it their best shot. "The first thought was that he blacked out while diving and drowned. It was horrible — the worst feeling I've ever felt," Priscilla noted. They had just a little time until it was dark and they knew they had to get some lead before that. With their flashlights bright and their sight and effort even stronger, they finally spotted something. There Dylan was, waving his hands up, giving the family two assurances — one, he was finally found and second, he was okay.
Priscilla shared a video on Facebook, capturing the moment they spotted Dylan making his way toward them. There was chaos as they all rendered expressions of relief but it all came from a place of love. They reached out to the young man and quickly got him to the boat. The Coast Guard also arrived to check on him and an hour later, he was completely back to normal. The family is delighted to have been able to pull off the rescue and have their loved one back safe and fine.
More on Amplify
Dad heroically dived over 4-foot gate to save his toddler from drowning in pool