The United Coast Guard Southeast Division rescued one person and their dog from a sailboat off the coast of Sanibel Island Thursday afternoon.
Only NBC2'S Christy Soto spoke with Earl Barcome, who says he and his dog, Gunn, were caught in the middle of Hurricane Helene.
"It was moving mountains of water. Every which way you turn. And these waves were just everywhere you look," Barcome said.
Barcome was in the middle of the angry gulf feeling the impacts of Hurricane Helene's wrath.
"I said, gun, this isn't the day we're going to die I'm calling the Coast Guard," Barcome said.
Thankfully the Coast Guard was able to find them and save their lives.
The boat was found 26 miles off the coast of Sanibel Island around 3 p.m. Thursday.
Coast Guard officers helped guide Barcome and Gunn into the basket.
Barcome was living out his dream of sailing the world on his boat with his best friend. He was working to get to a safe spot when a pipe on his boat failed. He worked hours trying to fix it but his sailboat kept taking on water.
Now Barcome is working to figure out what's next after his boat was destroyed in the Gulf of Mexico.
"So what, what comes next? time will tell, you know, do I have hope? I have, I have a new, I have a new understanding. And that's a beautiful thing," Barcome said.
Barcome says he is beyond grateful to Officer Tod Huson and the Coast Guard for saving their lives.
He is keeping his spirts high as he works to make his dream come true again.
"The realization that life is a little more important was, That was a new day. It was a new day. And, what do I got to complain about? I got shirt and pants," Barcome said.
A GoFundMe has been made available for Barcome and Gunn, titled:
Pulled from the Gulf: Help Earl & His Dog, Gunn, Start Over
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