Includes bibliographical references (p. [245]-246).

What began as a relaxing fishing party became a harrowing tale of death and survival against unfathomable odds. On Saturday, February 28, 2009, 24-year-old personal trainer Nick Schuyler and three football friends--Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper, 26, Lions defensive end Corey Smith, 29, and Will Bleakley, 25, a teammate from the University of South Florida--sailed away from Tampa Bay for a day in the Gulf of Mexico. But 35 miles off the Florida coast, their 21-foot boat flipped, hurling the four athletes into the rough water. For more than 12 hours, they gripped the boat as the temperature dropped and the waves climbed. Then, to Schuyler's horror, one by one, his friends succumbed to hypothermia. Found 45 hours later, Schuyler too suffered severe hypothermia, injuries, and the guilt of being the only man to survive.--From publisher description.