A father turned a near-death experience into the motivation he needed to become a firefighter. After surviving being lost at sea, he got a fresh take on life.
Speaking with People, firefighter James Morris reflects on getting lost 250 miles off the coast of Australia at sea. .
"I love my job. I've really found my calling," Morris told the outlet. "I've helped a lot of people out of [treacherous] situations. You can see the fear and the gratitude once you save them."
Lost At Sea
"As I screamed at him, another wave came over the back and flipped the whole boat," says Morris. Morris quickly dove underwater and secured the wreckage of the boat using an anchor so it didn't drift. He also retrieved the needed gear for their survival. The future firefighter was determined not to die at sea. Morris used his son as motivation.
"He was one of the main things I was thinking about. He was the one thing in my life that I loved the most," Morris said. The two clung to the side of the wrecked dory for hours. At one point, Morris set off flares for help. If the anchor snapped, then the two planned to try to swim 20 miles to the nearest island.
"Even if we didn't get attacked by sharks, and made it to the island, there's actually a lot of crocodiles on that island," says Morris. "So, that would've been very dangerous if that happened."
"Basically, he just nosed the boat straight over to us, and we jumped in the water and jumped on the back of the mothership," Morris said. The experience made him realize that life was too short. "That was really a wake-up call for me. That made me realize that I can stay calm and collected in heavy situations."
