A 13-year-old boy survived by hiding in a cooler after his father and four other members of the crew were killed in a boating accident off the coast of central California.
Juradi “Jude” Kammunkoon was crabbing with relatives just off Bodega Bay late on the evening of Nov. 2 when his boat was thrown violently and flipped over.
In the confusion, Jude's father, Prason, ordered his son to hide in a cooler on the boat. Prason held on to the icebox for as long as he could, but eventually let go so Jude could float to safety. told KGO.
“It was very scary to see my father pass away so soon,” Jude told a local news station.
“I was crying and screaming for my dad and I heard him say something again.”
The cooler containing Jude eventually washed ashore. The boy slept on the beach that night and was found by emergency personnel the next morning.
Only Jude survived. A father saved his son's life while three other family members and a friend were killed when their boat capsized.
“I prayed to Jesus Christ and my whole family that I would make it out alive and see my family and everyone I know,” Jude told KGO.
The group originally planned to leave at 3 p.m. to celebrate the first day of the recreational Dungeness crab season and return to shore by 7 p.m.
When they didn't show up on time, family members waiting on shore called the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, which then contacted the Coast Guard, said U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Levi Reed.
The search operation officially ended Nov. 3 after teams covered more than 2,100 square miles, Reid said. The body of Jude's 17-year-old cousin was discovered during the search. The rest of the family has yet to be found.
Jude has since returned home to San Jose and is being cared for by other family members.
He said he was happy to be alive and united with his surviving relatives.
“It was like a dream come true because I really wanted to see my family again,” he said.
“It's so good to be back with my family. I'm happy to see them and they're all supporting me through this journey without my dad…at least I got to live a long life.”
Two of Jude's cousins have set up a GoFundMe in Prason's memory to support the grieving family, including Jude's mother and two younger brothers. By Tuesday, the fundraising goal had exceeded the $50,000 goal, and donations continue to come in.
