Most of us are fortunate enough to never experience something truly traumatic during our lives.
Yes, life might throw a few curveballs at us, but we’ve never faced an experience that threatens our very existence.
Desiree Rodriguez, however, went through something no 9-year-old should have to face.
The disaster happened 35 years ago, when Desiree’s boat capsized. She was in the water for 20 hours, and it was only thanks to her life jacket that she didn’t drown.
By this point, a rescue seemed unlikely – but then two men, piloting a charter from Catalina Island off the California coast, discovered the capsized boat.
Seconds later, Mark Pisano and Paul Strasser saw little Desiree’s floating life jacket.
The pair jumped into action immediately. Mark dived into the water and Paul helped him pull Desiree onto their charter.
They couldn’t find anyone else in the water – and tragically, it turned out that Desiree was the only survivor.
Even 35 years on from the rescue, Mark and Paul are shaken by the incident.
Paul said:
“That story, it really throws a loop at me.”
Mark agreed, adding:
“It was catastrophic. Imagining what she went through that day is unspeakable, really.”
It’s unsurprising, when you learn of just how devastating Desiree’s experience really was. She lost her mom, dad, sister, aunt and uncle in the accident.
Desiree truly was alive against all odds.
The day that Mark and Paul rescued Desiree was also the last day that they saw her. They never thought they’d cross paths with her again.
But a podcaster named Phil Friedman was about to change that for good. He invited Paul and Mark to speak on his show – and secretly invited a third guest, only to be revealed on the day.
You can guess what happened next: Mark and Paul were finally reunited with Desiree.
Imagine how emotional that would have been – for both parties. The three formed an unbreakable bond on the day that the men rescued 9-year-old Desiree. They had saved her life. Desiree owed them big time, and Mark and Paul had become emotionally invested in the little survivor.
Speaking about the opportunity to meet her rescuers, Desiree said:
“When I connected with them, they brought a lot of closure. I’m glad we could come together today and kinda heal.”
Since meeting on the podcast, Desiree, Mark and Paul have stayed in touch.
Mark and Paul even invited Desiree and her family out on their charter. It was Desiree’s first time back out at sea since the accident, which must have been both terrifying and healing for her.
Sadly, the bodies of Desiree’s dad, sister and uncle were never recovered. That’s what made her journey on the seas even more important – it was a commemoration of the family members she had lost.
Of course, there was also a lot to celebrate – and it was all thanks to Desiree’s guardian angels.
Desiree says she hopes to know Paul and Mark forever. You can only imagine how it must feel to be reunited with somebody who had such an impact on your childhood.
Check out the video below to learn more about Desiree’s tragic past and healing reunion.
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