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By now, anyone with a computer knows the amazing, stranded-at-sea survival story of former Syracuse Orange and Miami Dolphins fullback Rob Konrad. On Monday, Konrad gathered with the local media in Miami and gave his personal account of what happened.
Konrad's story was shared on Twitter by Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Dispatch and NFL sports reporter Jeff Darlington:
Konrad: "A boater's nightmare and was lucky enough to survive."
— Hal Habib (@gunnerhal) January 12, 2015
Trouble hit when "unusually large wave hit" the boat.
— Hal Habib (@gunnerhal) January 12, 2015
"I realized I was in real trouble." no life vest, no time to radio in SOS
— Hal Habib (@gunnerhal) January 12, 2015
Boat was on autopilot, heading east toward Bahamas. No hope of getting back to it. Immediately decided to swim toward shore.
— Hal Habib (@gunnerhal) January 12, 2015
Former Dolphins FB Rob Konrad says, as he fights back tears, he was indeed 9 miles offshore when he was forced to begin swimming to shore.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 12, 2015
Rob Konrad says he was in the water as rescue helicopters circled above, but they never saw him. He realized he was on his own. Incredible.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 12, 2015
Rob Konrad was later diagnosed with hypothermia, severe dehydration and rhabdomyolysis, which is a breakdown of muscle fibers.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 12, 2015
Konrad says he spent 16 hours in the water. "I shouldn’t be here," he tells a group of assembled media in South Florida.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 12, 2015
Konrad says he was bit by many jellyfish and circled by a shark while he was in the water — but shark eventually left. Is this Life of Pi?!
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 12, 2015
After 10 hours, fishing boat had lights on and was 50 yards away. "When the boat didn’t see me," Konrad said. "I had to get my mind right."
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 12, 2015
"After some time i just said look, I’m not dying tonight and I’m going to make it to shore."
— Hal Habib (@gunnerhal) January 12, 2015
"I prayed to God to send a boat."
— Hal Habib (@gunnerhal) January 12, 2015
Konrad followed sun west during day then followed lights on the shore. "I have 2 beautiful daughters," he says. "I was hitting that shore."
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 12, 2015
Rob Konrad says he eventually heard waves hitting the shore: "It was a beautiful sound." …When he hit the shore, he couldn’t walk at first.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 12, 2015
"I shouldn't be here. Sixteen hours in water, think ended up traveling 27 miles."
— Hal Habib (@gunnerhal) January 12, 2015
Rob Konrad has two daughters — 8 and 10 years old. Konrad was a 2nd-rd draft pick in 1999. He played six NFL seasons. He’s 38 years old.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 12, 2015
Rob’s wife, Tammy Konrad, said she began to panic when her two daughters started to ask before going to bed, "Where’s daddy?"
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 12, 2015
Tammy: "Rob is very, very powerful human being. He sets his mind on something and he does go after it."
— Hal Habib (@gunnerhal) January 12, 2015
That’s all from Konrad and wife. For now. The rest of this story, I’d imagine, will be coming to a theatre near you. That was incredible.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 12, 2015
Sharks circled below but didn’t bite. Helicopters circled above but didn’t rescue. Yet Konrad, stuck 8 miles offshore, never gave up. Wow.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 12, 2015
Rob Konrad’s boat was eventually found off of — I’m not joking here — Dead Man’s Reef in Grand Bahama Island. That’s just chilling stuff.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 12, 2015
News conference is over. Konrad had to stop several times to compose himself. Still shaken, as anybody would be.
— Hal Habib (@gunnerhal) January 12, 2015
Not much to say besides we're all glad you're okay Rob.