7-Year-Old Who Spent 6 Hours in Ocean After Boat Sank Miraculously Wakes Up from Coma
If you’re searching for proof that miracles can happen, look no further than this story of 7-year-old Julian Hohnen.
The little boy was accompanying his father, Maike Hohnen, on a fishing trip with family friend Stephen Jeacocke off the coast of Queensland when their situation turned deadly. The boat was about 8 miles away from land when it sank into temperatures around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
While that may not seem very cold, spending a prolonged time in water that temperature can still lead to serious conditions as the body fights to retain heat.
Although the group managed to send a distress signal, their boat sank a few moments later. The group was plunged into the cold water, where they were forced to tread for six hours.
Having been sleeping when the boat began to sink, none of the three were wearing life jackets.
“They had the safety gear on board but unfortunately, sort of in the time that they realized the boat was taking on water to it actually sinking, was only a matter of less than a minute,” Kyle Banks with the Sunshine Coast water police told 7News.
With a young child in tow, staying alive wasn’t easy.
Clutching debris, the two older men did everything they could to keep the 7-year-old afloat overnight until they were rescued. A rescue team jumped into action when the group was spotted from an anchored tanker.
After being airlifted into a helicopter and flown to a nearby hospital, all three were diagnosed with hypothermia. In an effort to save Julian’s life, the boy was placed in an induced coma.
“It’s always a delicate operation when you’re winching a patient that’s potentially suffering from hypothermia,” Kristy MacAlister of the Queensland Ambulance Service told News.com.au. “As you winch them out of the water, the wind temperature can also decrease the body temperature further.”
Although the situation appeared grim, Julian’s family was exuberant when the boy opened his eyes on Monday. Against all odds, he survived what could have easily been a fatal event.
“It’s very fortunate that the three people were found when they were,” MacAlister said. “They had been in the water for several hours, and they’re all very lucky.”
According to 7News, Julian’s parents recently released an uplifting statement. The little boy is currently in stable condition, and his father and Jeacocke also appear to be recovering well.
Julian was in good spirits upon waking. Shortly after opening his eyes, he began talking with his family.
The Mirror reported that Julian’s parents have since expressed their thanks to the rescue team, Sunshine Coast University Hospital and the Queensland Children’s Hospital.
“I’m the luckiest man alive, I’ve got a beautiful son, who puts a smile on my face everyday!” Maike Hohnen wrote on Facebook.
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