Friends Avery Bryan and Eva Aponte, both 16 years old, had decided to enjoy the low tide and spend some time paddling out to a sand bar for fun.
But what started out as a relaxing day on the water quickly turned dangerous when a strong current prevented them from getting back to shore.
Speaking to Inside Edition, the girls explained why they had decided to head out on the water that day, unaware of the danger ahead.
“It was low-tide out and the water looked pretty nice and smooth. We decided ‘Oh, it’s a great time to go to the sand bar because we can see it’,” Bryan and Aponte told reporter Les Trent, 63.
It didn’t take long before the girls realized just how serious things had gotten. They soon understood they were in real danger, especially as they were being pulled further away by the tide.
“We were both out there in 40-degree weather with sweatshirts on and shorts on the water. I mean, throughout the night, both of us had trouble keeping our hearts beating.”
During the night, their paddleboard eventually floated them to an oyster bed. The sharp shells sliced into Aponte’s hand, adding to their struggle.
When the girls didn’t return home, their families contacted authorities. A full-scale search effort was launched by police and the Coast Guard in what became an urgent rescue mission.
One of those rescuers, Gary Bartell, explained to Inside Edition that knowing the girls were on a paddleboard helped guide their search in a big way.
“That changed the whole perspective on where to search in our heads,” he shared with the network.
Remarkably, just half an hour into their search, Bartell, Will Pauling, and the two other men came across the two teens.
“I remember they asked us: ‘Are you two the missing girls?’ and I was like ‘I think so? What’s their names?'”
At the hospital, the teens were treated for both hypothermia and dehydration, according to a report from E Online.
To help with the rising medical expenses, a GoFundMe was launched, where a relative of Bryan named Jennifer wrote: “Of all the unthinkable things that could happen; God was there and showed us that miracles do still happen and prayers are powerful.”
“They are both expected to make a full recovery, but will still need time and prayers.”
“We are all grateful for the support that came in overwhelmingly from people around the nation, the Cedar Key community, and all the law enforcement and rescue teams who responded.”
So far, generous donors have contributed $2,230 toward the $6,500 goal set on the fundraiser page.