During the interview, Aponte clarified, “We walked in hip-deep and then got on the board and started paddling.”
The girls quickly came to understand how bad the situation had become. They quickly realized they were in grave danger, especially since the tide was drawing them farther and farther away.
“We were both wearing sweatshirts and shorts on the water in temperatures of forty degrees. Throughout the night, we both struggled to maintain our
Both teenagers started to worry about hypothermia as the temperature rapidly dropped. They decided to try to share body heat by lying on top of one another in an attempt to survive.
Their paddleboard eventually carried them to an oyster bed throughout the night. Their fight was exacerbated by the sharp shells cutting into Aponte’s hand.
Authorities were notified by the girls’ families after they failed to return home. Police and the Coast Guard began a comprehensive search and rescue operation, which quickly escalated into an emergency.
