BRUNSWICK, Ga. – After he was rescued from cold Georgia waters on Monday, George Faison wanted more than anything to meet the men who saved his life. On Thanksgiving, he finally got the chance to thank them.
“Oh man, my brothers,” Faison said as he embraced one of the four men he credits for saving his life. “I was doing a lot of praying I will tell you. I’m so glad you all were there.”
Faison was in a fishing boat that capsized in Fancy Bluff Creek on Monday.
His fishing partner of 30 years, Thomas “Junior” Shaw, didn’t survive, but Faison said the four men who saved him did everything in their power to save Shaw. Faison, 72, said he feels blessed to be alive.
“When you save a person’s life, you become his family,” Faison said.
It was just a few days ago when Faison and Shaw went out on the water in Brunswick. The day quickly turned into a nightmare when their boat capsized in a matter of minutes.
“It’s just like you all were angels. I was there, I was about to give up, you know,” Faison said. “I was saying ‘Ain’t nobody going to see me’ and all of a sudden I was hollering and I heard somebody say ‘We are here.'"
The four good Samaritans were in the right place at the right time.
“It was crazy man, we just saw a little white speck almost a mile and a half away,” a rescuer told News4Jax.
The rescuers managed to resuscitate Shaw, but he died later at the hospital.
“I’m glad you all were there. You showed up at that time, I really am. And I will be thankful for the rest of my life,” Faison said. “I’m an old man but I still got a little while left thanks to you all.”
All five of the men were thankful they could meet Thursday. They do plan on staying in touch and say they are brothers for life.