Loading summary
Transcript10 lines
- [00:00]
Mike Corey
Wondery subscribers can listen to against the Odds early and ad free right now. Join Wondery in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. Loye Frith Thordsen swims slowly through the ice cold Atlantic Ocean. It's pitch black and he can't see a yard in front of him. He just hopes he's heading towards land. Images of the last few hours flash through his mind. The dragnets that he and his colleagues lowered into the water from their fishing trawler, the jolt as the net snagged on the seabed, the gruesome noises the outriggers made as they bent and buckled the sinking ship. The moment the lights went out. His shipmates Varlurg, Engelbert, Pater, Heotor all now dead. Loye is all alone in the ocean, miles away from his home, the Icelandic island of Heimae. Beneath him are the watery depths of the ocean, above him, the starry night sky. Slowly but surely, he moves forward with consistent strokes, but he has no idea if he's headed in the right direction. Suddenly he sees light, and it's as if Loy has been released from a trance. At first he thinks he's imagining it, but there they are, orange and green streaks that dance across the sky, the northern lights toward their ends. The orange turns to red and Loye is reminded of the glow of the lava when the volcano erupted on Heimae. That night they had to leave their home. Loye was just 11 years old. He woke up and and went to look out the window. He saw his neighbors moving quickly but calmly in the direction of the harbor. In that moment it felt more like a festival or a celebration than an emergency, and Loye wondered if he was still dreaming. His mother came and led him away from the window. She helped him put on his rain boots and a thick jacket and then knelt down in front of him. We can't stay here, Loye. We need to get ready to leave. Can you do that for me? Luoye remembers, nodding. His mother smiled and took him by the hand and they left the house. Mama, where is Papa? His mother looked at him with a steady, unwavering gaze. Papa's going to protect the island. For how long? For as long as it takes. Loye turned around and saw men running in the direction of the volcano and the glowing orange lava gushing out into the just like the northern lights floating through the sky above him right now, 11 years later. As long as it takes, Loye thinks to himself. He'll keep swimming for as long as it takes.
- [03:16]
Sponsor Voice
In our toughest moments. Humans will fight to survive, but luckily we're not often in survival mode. Sometimes we can just sit back and enjoy the ride and no one knows a comfortable ride like OnStar. Enjoy convenient features like Google Assistant to make calls or send texts on the go. Remember where you parked with vehicle. Locate and even drive hands free with available Super Cruise Driver Assistant tech with OnStar, your rise can be easier than ever. OnStar better never stops. Against the Odds is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever think about switching insurance companies to see if you could save some cash? Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies to try it@progressive.com, progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states.
- [04:09]
Mike Corey
From wondery I'm mike corey and this is against the odds. On March 11, 1984, an Icelandic fishing trawler sank more than three miles off the coast of the island of Haemae. Two of its five crewmen were lost in the wreck. Another two succumbed to exhaustion and hypothermia, then drowned. That left a lone survivor, Goodlooker Frid thorsen, a burly 23 year old known as Loye. And he should have died too. But somehow Loye kept fighting. On the night of the wreck, the waters of the North Atlantic were just 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Only a handful of people have ever survived waters that cold for more than 75 minutes. But Loye, a 6 foot 3 gentle giant, was built differently. This is episode 2 the Seal Man. Loye keeps swimming stoically. He has an endless night ahead of him in the ice cold water. He can only think of one do not stop under any circumstances. Keep going. Whenever it gets to be too much, he pauses for a moment and turns to face the sky. He takes a deep breath, looks at the stars and marvels at the northern lights. Then he swims. Backstroke. For a while. He feels like he's swimming in place. His oilskin jacket keeps slipping under his chin and choking him, and he feels like the sea is pulling him down. Suddenly it occurs to him. What an idiot. The oilskin jacket is no help to him here at all. Quite the opposite. It's just weighing him down. He tries to open the zipper with his frozen fingers, but he's lost all feeling in his fingertips, so it's hard to get a grip. Eventually he gives up. He tries pulling the oilskin over his shoulders, but the thick, rubbery material is too stiff. He struggles with it for what feels like Several minutes. Panic rising in his chest, he's fixated on getting this jacket off. If he can't, it'll be the death of him. Loye takes a deep breath, trying to stay calm. It's only a zipper. He can do this inch by inch. He manages to open the zipper until it's about halfway down. Then he rips the jacket open the rest of the way down and eases himself out of the sleeves. Free at last. For a moment, he wonders whether he should take his sweater off too. But if he does make it to land, he'll need at least some protection from the cold. And he can move a lot better now that he's rid of the jacket. Loye decides to keep his sweater on for now. But his work boots. They can go as long as he's able to take them off. It proves easier than expected. He slips off his boots and lets them sink down into the ocean. A good decision. He definitely feels lighter than he did before. He can use his feet more easily. And his arms are much freer. Luoye looks up and sees a lone seagull circling overhead, silhouetted against the northern lights. Having fun, are we? Truth is, he can't stand seagulls. They always circle the trawlers whenever the nets are brought in and swoop down to steal fish as the crew sort through their catch. But at this moment, the seagull is all he has. And maybe its presence is a sign that he's not far from land. Loye takes heart and follows the birds. Occasional screeches. Has to admit, it's nice to have company. Even if it's just a seagull. It keeps him awake and focused. Loye has started chatting to the gull. He tells it all the reasons why he can't die now. His parents, his friends, the annual festival on the island of Heimae, the arrival of the Atlantic puffins on the island in a few weeks time. And besides all that, I haven't paid off my moped yet. I mean it. The dealer. He's a great guy. I don't want to cause him any grief. Loye likes the gull. In fact, he almost feels bad for all the other gulls he's been mean to. These birds are subject to many maritime legends. Some people believe that the gulls are lost souls of dead seafarers that never made it to heaven. For a moment, Luoye wonders if this seagull is one of his fellow fishermen. But he quickly pushes that thought aside. Besides, seagulls aren't just looking for heaven. They're also heading for dry land. And this gull could save his life. The seagull seems to have a good sense of humor. Maybe it wants to hear a joke. Okay, how about this one? On his first day of work, a new sailor asked the captain, do ships sink often? The captain thinks about it, and he says, no, I'm pretty sure they only ever sink once. The seagull doesn't laugh. Maybe it's heard the joke before. Or maybe its sense of humor isn't so good after all. Then Luoye realizes it's been a while since he's heard the gull screeching. Has it flown away? Come on. The joke wasn't that bad. He scans the night sky, but he sees nothing. Then, off in the distance, something catches his eye. But it's not a seagull. It's something much better. A light. It flashed briefly between the waves before disappearing. Loye squints, and he sees it again. It's bobbing on the waves and can't be far away. It's a ship. Hey. Hey.
- [10:43]
Sponsor Voice
Hey.
- [10:44]
Mike Corey
It must be a rescue crew out looking for him. He tries to gauge how far away they are. 100 yards, maybe 200.
- [10:52]
Sponsor Voice
Hey.
- [10:53]
Mike Corey
Hey. Over here. I'm over here. It's too far away for them to hear his cries. Soon. Luoye is devastated to see the ship moving away from him at some speed. But the mere existence of the seagull and the ship give him renewed hope. He is not alone. Luoye needs to make sure he doesn't wear himself out. It's been about half an hour since he saw the ship, and several times since he thought he heard another one. Is he going mad? He searches the darkness frantically, looking for some sign of the coastline. The sky is full of stars. His gaze is drawn to a particularly bright one on the horizon, which keeps coming and going. Loye can't tell if the waves are blocking his view or if it's not a star at all. Maybe it's a flashing satellite. No lighthouse. Captain Hyotor said he thought that they were three or four miles from the island's southern peninsula after the trawler sank. And there is a lighthouse there. Heortor must have been right. Loye swims with a surge of confidence. At last he has a reference point, as he has so often during the last few hours. He thinks back to the volcanic eruption that struck the island 11 years ago. He remembers rushing down to the harbor with his mother and how calm and orderly everything was as they prepared to evacuate the inhabitants of Heimae are famous in all of Iceland for their calm temperament, and they proved it on that night. When he and his mother arrived at the harbor, Loye turned back to to look behind him. To this day, he can still remember the glowing mass of lava as it rumbled towards the village and how tiny all the buildings looked, almost like dollhouses. Loye and his mother stood in one of the lines of people that formed at the pier. One by one, the residents were loaded onto ships. A short while later, Loye and his mother were on board. The boat lifted anchor and the island got smaller and smaller. The fiery glow from the lava was the last thing Loye could see. He remembers that he turned to his mother. When will we see papa again? When he's got the volcano under control. His mother seemed to sense his anxiety, and she looked at him and asked, remember what we always say, Loye. Theta redast. Everything will be okay. Everything will be okay. Loye doesn't know if it's his imagination, but it feels like the lighthouse is quickly getting closer and closer. And just below it is that the silhouette of the coastline is the tide helping to carry him to shore. Loye knows he needs to preserve his energy, but in his excitement, he can't help kicking his legs a little harder. Foreign. Raises an arm to protect his face. Waves are crashing around him. He can't see much, but he can hear them strike against rocks and break against the cliffs. Loye knows this part of the coastline well. The rock formations are from old lava flows, still razor sharp in places, and he's come too far to be smashed to smithereens against them now. But even though these cliffs are dangerous, he's got to risk it. There are rip currents here, close to the shore that could pull him back out to sea. Loye may be a strong man, but he can't swim forever. So when a wave lifts him up and pushes him towards the shoreline, he takes his chance. He reaches out for the rough volcanic rocks and he tries to grab hold, but he can't hang on. At least not this time. He'll have to try again. The current drags him back out before throwing him against the rocks again. Loi reaches out again, and this time he manages to grab hold of a rocky protrusion. The water pulls at his body and tries to yank him back out once more, but Loye clings to the rock with steely determination. His hands are hurting and feel strangely warm. He looks down and isn't surprised to see them bleeding. With great effort, Loi pulls himself along the rock face. He searches for the bottom of the sea with his feet. Whenever a wave breaks, he pauses for a moment and holds his breath. Then he resumes the task at hand. At one point, his ankle slams against a stone under the surface and his eyes fill with tears of pain. But then he takes another step and realizes he's made it to land. Loiye starts laughing uncontrollably. He can't believe it. He may be lying in the dark on ice cold gravel surrounded by rocks, but he's finally on solid ground. He's suddenly overwhelmed by an immense desire to go to sleep. But then a wave breaks over him and brings him back to reality. He knows he's still a long way from home. Somehow he's made it to the coast and onto land, but the temperatures are so cold that if he stays here, he'll freeze to death. His sodden clothes are already developing a layer of ice and his jeans crunch when he moves. He needs to keep going. Loye tries to get a sense of his surroundings. His eyes have gotten used to the darkness a little, but there isn't a lot to see. There's no way inland from here. Or if there is, Loye can't see it. He's in a small half moon bay surrounded by sharp rocks. He could just stay here and stick it out until daybreak, but there's no guarantee that anyone will find him. And if he doesn't keep moving, he'll succumb to hypothermia. Eventually. He looks up at the steep cliffs of volcanic rock and wonders if he could climb them. He decides that's worth a shot. But it doesn't take much climbing to realize that he's got no chance. The cliff face is just as rough and sharp as the rocks being battered by the waves below, and if he loses his grip and falls, he'll be done for. Loye clambers back down with a sinking feeling there's only one option left and he doesn't like it one bit. He's got to swim along the shore and find another inlet. Hopefully the rocks won't be as steep and he can find a path that will lead him further inland. Loye nods and gives himself a pep talk. He can hardly believe it, but he's about to go back into the icy sea.
- [18:19]
Sponsor Voice
Don't just fill a position. Find the ideal candidate who will drive your business forward. For qualified candidates who match your needs, try Indeed Sponsored Jobs. Spend more time interviewing candidates who check all your boxes. Less stress, less time, more results. Now with Indeed Sponsored jobs and listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit to help get your job the premium status it deserves@ Indeed.com wonderyus just go to Indeed.com wonderyus right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Indeed.com wonderyus Terms and conditions apply. Hiring do it the Right Way with Indeed.
- [18:58]
Steve Nash
Hey basketball fans. Steve Nash here. Ready to elevate your basketball IQ? I'm teaming up with LeBron James to bring you the latest season of Mind the Game and we're about to take you deeper into basketball than you've ever gone before. We're breaking down the real game, the X's and O's that actually matter. In every episode, we'll share elite level strategy, dive into career defining moments and explain the why behind plays that changed a game, a team or a championship. LeBron and I have lived this game at the highest level for decades. We've been in those pressure moments and made those game changing decisions and learned from the greatest basketball minds in history. Now we're pulling back the curtain and sharing that knowledge with you. Time to go beyond the highlights and get into the real heart of basketball. Watch Mind the game now on YouTube YouTube Prime Video or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
- [19:56]
Mike Corey
Loye wipes the water from his face and checks out his surroundings. He swam along the coast for what felt like an hour before finding another spot to come ashore. There are rocky cliffs here too, but even in the darkness he can tell they're less than steep than the first place he landed. Loye has swallowed far too much salt water and is unbearably thirsty. His lips are chapped and cracked. The winds are calmer here, but the cold still pierces him through his sodden clothes like a thousand needles. He is covered in frost and yet he's not even shivering. You can do this. Take it slow and steady. As he starts to clamber across the rocks, he immediately wishes he hadn't thrown away his work boots. The rocks are climbable, but when the sharp edges cut into his bare feet he winces in pain. He can hardly bear to put his weight on them, so instead he tries to shuffle over the rocks using the side of his body for support. It's hard work, but he is making progress. He finally reaches the top of the lava rock cliffs and scans the terrain ahead of him. In the pale glow of the starlight he can make out a snow covered field. It looks relatively flat. He takes his first step forward. Immediately pain shoots out from the Sole of his foot. Hidden beneath the snow are jagged pieces of igneous rock which cut into his bare feet like razor blades. Loye tries to figure out if there's another easier route, but under all the snow it's impossible to tell. And then it begins to snow some more. Loye is unmoved. He's made it this far and he'll keep going until he collapses or reaches a house. He grits his teeth and he takes another step. Loye squints into the darkness, but all he sees ahead is more snow. This lava field seems to go on forever. He can't be sure, but he thinks he must have been walking for around two hours. His clothes are frozen onto his skin and every now and then he loses all sensation in his feet. Occasionally he finds a more or less flat surface to walk on. But then there will be another shard of lava that digs into his bare feet without warning. On this ice cold night, it's hard to imagine that these sharp edged stones were once molten lava from some long forgotten eruption. Loye's mind goes back to that night 11 years ago when another eruption on the other side of the island destroyed everything in its path, including the village where he had lived his whole life. Fountains of molten lava shot up a hundred yards into the night sky from a fissure over a mile long. Nothing was safe. Loye could feel the heat miles away on his evacuation ship. For months, Loye's father and other volunteers stayed behind while the rest of the islanders evacuated. Scientists proposed pumping as much seawater as possible to fight the rivers of Lav. So that's what they did. In the end, the islanders saved the harbor and roughly half of the town. Many houses had been destroyed, but people helped each other to rebuild. The town was covered in 1.5 million tons of ash and the residents used it to construct streets and a new Runway for the airport. They used the heat of the volcano to warm their homes. A new lava rock formation made the entrance to the ports. The of smaller, but it was now better protected from the wind and waves. Loye remembers the words his mother told him back then when he asked how long his father would stay and fight the lava. As long as it takes. As long as it takes. As long. He stops, startled. The ground beneath his feet suddenly feels soft. He takes another step and realizes he's no longer walking on sharp volcanic rocks. He's reached a meadow. And that means it can't be long until he reaches someone's house. Luoye is finding it harder and harder to put One foot in front of the other. He stares in the direction of what he hopes is a village. He's walking, but it doesn't feel like he's making any progress. Every step takes a huge effort. He is more exhausted than he's been ever in his entire life. But there is something inside of him that won't let him stop. His eyes burn when he closes them. His mouth. It's bone dry. He must be incredibly dehydrated. He swallowed so much salt water. How long has it been since he last took a drink? 4? 5? 6? 6? 6 hours? Is that even possible? Has he been on the move for six hours? Luoye can't quite believe what he's gone through. How can he still be alive? Maybe he's dead and he just doesn't know it. But if he is dead, then it doesn't matter anyway. He may as well keep going and see what happens. Or maybe he should just lie down and his foot bumps into something big and heavy. Loe bends down and feels around for an object in the dark. It's cold, with a flat top and curved sides. It's made of metal. It feels like a bathtub. But what would a bathtub be doing in the middle of a field? Then Luoye realizes it's a water trough for cows. He feels around inside the tub. He feels ice. Maybe it's not frozen all the way to the bottom. He summons up his energy and punches the sheet of ice with his bare fist. If there is water in there, he needs to get to it. He tries again and again to break through the layer of ice. It crunches and cracks. The surface crumples a little with every punch until Luoye's hand breaks through and he feels ice cold water below the frozen layer. He scoops up a handful and slurps it down greedily. It's so cold it hurts his throat. But his thirst is stronger than his pain. He gulps down mouthful after mouthful from the trough before pausing breathlessly. His spirits are coming back to him. Loose around. Scanning the environment. He sees a light in the distance. It's not flickering. It's not in the sky. And it's not moving. It must be a house. Loye struggles to keep his eyes open. The house he saw an hour earlier is getting closer. But he can feel himself swaying like a drunkard from side to side. At one point, he almost collapses backwards in a heap. But no matter how much he's stumbling, he's still moving forward. Loye sees the eruption from 11 years ago before his eyes again. He's being reunited with his father. For weeks and months they had exchanged letters. Now they're running toward each other and falling into one another's arms. Loye, you must never give up. You must never lose hope. What do we always say? Tetar predastes. It'll all be okay. It'll all be okay. Loye stumbles up the porch steps of the house. He falls against the front door, pulls himself up a little, then bangs on the door with his open palm. There is a small window in the middle of the door. Luoye can see someone turning a light on in the hallway, then another light on the porch. Luoye leans on the door and looks back at the path he's traveled. He can see bloody footprints in the snow. He hears a key in the lock and the door opens. Loye can no longer hold himself up and falls into the house. What the hell is going on? Had too much to drink, have we? Loye opens his eyes and sees a man standing over him. He's looking back and forth between Luoye and the footprints. Luoye gathers all of his strength one last time. I swam. I swam. He hears the man speaking to someone else. And then he hears a woman's voice. She shrieks. Loye hears the click of a telephone dial. The man grabs him under the arms, pulls him into the hallway, then closes the door. The hallway is drafty, but to Loye it feels like the warmest, most comfortable place that he's ever been. Sips on a hot herbal tea. He's been sitting up in bed in a hospital room and there is a flurry of activity all around him. A TV crew is here setting up lights. A reporter and cameraman discuss the best angle to film the interview from. A concerned nurse keeps checking on him. So you're sure you're not feeling dizzy, right? No, no, not dizzy. But everything hurts, especially these feet. Okay, well, if I can do absolutely anything for you. Yes, thank you. I'll let you know. Luoye knows that everyone is staring at him as if he's come back from the dead. Ever since he was admitted a few days ago, hospital staff have been appearing at the door to his room to gawk at him as if he were some animal in a zoo. He tries not to think about it too much. He's just happy to be in a warm, cozy bed. His parents stopped by earlier with his pajamas. He doesn't remember much about when he arrived at the hospital, but he's heard the doctors and nurses whispering about it. They say that when they first examined him, he didn't have a pulse. They tried to take his temperature, but it was so low that it didn't even register on the thermometer. The TV reporter pulls up a chair and sits down. He nods to his cameraman and then to Luoye. The interview begins. So, Luoye, tell me, how much do you remember from the night of the accident? Well, the ship, it sank around 10pm and after that I swam to shore and then I walked the rest of the way. You arrived at the house at seven in the morning. Are you really telling us that you spent nine hours in the cold? Luoye shrugs. He must have the reporter and nurse shake their heads incredulously and leave the room. The look on everyone's face says the same thing. You should have died that night. It's 1985, more than a year since the sinking of the Helise, Loye's ship, and today he finds himself pedaling a stationary bike that's half submerged in a swimming pool. And he's not happy about it. Loye is at the London Hospital Medical College. Alongside him are three British Marines, also pedaling stationary bikes. They're all hooked up to various instruments, reading their heart rates, core temperatures and other vital signs. Two doctors stand at the edge of the pool, holding clipboards and taking notes. When Loye got the invitation to come to London, he hoped he would have some time to see a few tourist attractions. He had never been abroad before and he wanted to make the most of it. You know, take a trip to Buckingham palace or maybe Westminster Abbey. But instead he's here doing tests in a hospital for baffled specialists. One by one, the marines in the pool with Loye give up and stop pedaling. These are well trained swimmers who are used to operating in extreme conditions. But as an assistant helps them out of the icy water, each one of them is a shivering wreck. Before the test began, the marines looked him up and down with barely concealed contempt. Now there's only one Marine left, and Loye is sure that he won't last much longer. His lips are blue and his face is twitching, but he seems determined to beat the fat Icelandic fisherman. One of the doctors is a man from Iceland named Johan Axelsson. He's been looking after Loye since he checked into the hospital. Loye likes him, but he's starting to get tired of the constant examinations. Loya, how you doing? I'm bored, Doc. Are you feeling cold? Not particularly cold, no. I could use something to eat, though. But Loye knows a Snack isn't on the cards. This test is designed to replicate the conditions from the night the ship went down. He's even wearing the same clothes. The last of the three marines is helped out of the pool. He looks to be in pretty bad shape, twitching and shivering, and several nurses come running to check on him. Loye looks away and he keeps on cycling. The combined attention of the media is starting to really grate on him. For months they have been pestering him and asking him about retelling his story. He can hear the doctors talking behind him. I know. I've never ever seen anything like this. I told you. It's absolutely remarkable. His body temperature, it's 91 degrees and he's still thinking straight. I know. I'm honestly looking forward to seeing the full test results. Maybe then we'll know more. Dr. Axelson wants to do another full examination here in London. The devices at the medical college are state of the art and the specialists are the best in Europe. Axelson claims it'll be the last one, but Loye has learned that one test always leads to another. At this point, it seems like he'll never get to see Big Ben or even eat some fish and chips here in London. Loye keeps pedaling. He'll do what the doctors ask, but this is not the life he wants to be living right now. More than anything, he just wants to to go home. Doctor Johan Axelson adjusts his collar and smooths his hair, making sure he looks good for the cameras. They're in a well lit examination room filming for a TV special about Loye. He's behind Dr. Axelson right now, pedaling a stationary bike. The doctor finds the whole setup slightly absurd. It's as if Loye is just background decor. There are wires attached to his body, hooked up to flashing machines. He must feel like a lab rat. Dr. Axelson turns to the camera again and suppresses his feelings of guilt. This is his career highlight. His most famous patient. He, Johan Axelson, is the man who discovered just how unusual Loye is. And it's his role to present this medical marvel to the world. An assistant claps the slate for another take and Dr. Axelson looks at the camera. All overweight men do have a huge advantage in frigid water. Their body temperature drops much more slowly. Loye keeps pedaling behind him. He's sporting a five o' clock shadow and he looks depressed. Dr. Axelson gets the feeling that he may not be filming many more times after this. But this is a very special case. Our patient has an Unusual fat structure. The kind we'd usually only see in seals. The doctor knows he needs to use lively imagery. People watching on TV won't be able to follow if he starts talking about subcutaneous fat structures. And that's why he's comparing Loye to a seal. Dr. Axelson knows that Loye doesn't care about his weight. But it can't be pleasant to hear someone refer to you like that. The doctor turns around to see a furious looking Loye staring back at him. He turns back to the camera and he quickly expands. Yes, but the patient also. He showed incredible, incredible mental strength. He made all of the right decisions after the action accident. And he quite simply refused to die. The interview is complete and the crew prepares to set up their next shot. Axelson suddenly hears a noise behind him and turns to see Loye getting off the stationary bike. Loye, hold on. We're not done yet. We just need a few more shots of you on the bike. Dog. I'm done. I'm tired of listening to all this talk of human seals, layers of fat and miracles. But you are a miracle. Listen, Doc, I'm a fisherman. A fisherman who lost his friends that night. Do you understand how guilty that makes me feel that everyone died, but I survived? Loye pulls the electrodes off his body and storms off. Dr. Axelson can't blame him. The scientific explanation for Loye's survival won't help bring back his friends and. And all this talk of Loye the seal man must make him feel less like a miracle and more like a freak. Loye takes off his wool hat. It's a mild spring day on Heimae, two years after the accident. He's standing in front of his favorite bakery, bathed in in sunshine. Loye's drifted along for the last couple years. He hated the attention so much that he didn't leave the house for a while after the hospital examinations. He's still in contact with Dr. Axelson. In fact, they're almost friends now that he's not surrounded by cameras. He's even taken an interest in the reasons for his survival. Axelson has suggested that Loye enroll in a couple of cases classes at university. He looks at the paper bag in his hand. Inside it is the cake that he described to Pater after they abandoned ship shortly before Peter passed away. TV cake. Coconut butter and caramel. Loye reaches into the bag and he breaks off a piece. Hey, Loye. Great to see you. Hi. Hi there. He still hasn't gotten used to complete strangers saying hello to him. He doesn't know this guy at all. He's probably some tourist, yet another person who thinks he's a miracle or an attraction to be gawked at. Luoye still doesn't like being the focus of attention, but he has gotten a bit used to it. Now they even want to name an annual swimming competition after him. Luoye focuses on the cake again. Ah, it smells so good. And there's a mild spring breeze in the village. He gazes out into the harbor and he sees a small little trawler chugging out towards the open sea. From this distance, it doesn't look much better than the heliceae. Loye is going back to sea for the first time since the shipwreck, just for a day. To begin with, he wants to get used to working at sea once more, though truthfully he's not thrilled with the idea. But then Loye bites into the cake and everything feels just a little bit better. If you like against the odds, you can binge all episodes early and ad free right now by joining Wondery in the Wondery app or on Apple podcasts. Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music. And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey@wondery.com survey. This was the second and final episode of our two part series Miracle in the North Atlantic. A quick note about our scenes in most cases we can't exactly know what was said, but everything is based on historical research. If you want to learn more about the events in this story, we recommend the film the Deep by Balthazar Cormacr and the book why We Swim by Bonnie Swee. I'm your host, Mike Corey. Tom Earhart wrote this episode. Translated by Will Salt Sound design by Joe Richardson. Audio engineer is Sergio Henriquez. Original theme music Scott Velasquez and 2K for freeze on Sync produced by Emily Frost and Simone Terbrach. Managing producer is Desi Blaylock. Senior producers are Andy Herman and Austin Rachlis. Executive producers are Jenny Lauer Beckman and Marshall Louie. For Wondery.