Calling All 8/19/06 Special Western Cruisers! AKA "The Cruisin' Castaways" Part 2

[Verandah Man]

Joanna,

I tired looking at your pics, but the Kodak site is down at the moment, I will try again later this morning.

We had some tragic news earlier tonight, instead of typing it all out again, here is a link that will explain everything: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20561327&postcount=72750

I'm going to try and get some sleep now myself.

 

[Mjasp]

OMG...I am so sorry, this is a terrible tragedy. My sympathy to his and your family.
Joanna

 

[Verandah Man]

OMG...I am so sorry, this is a terrible tragedy. My sympathy to his and your family.
Joanna

Thanks, I still haven't been able to go to sleep since Angelina called. I've been glued the Fox Philly news since 5am. Still no word about Ryan being found. Ryan has always been a nice kid, and would give the shirt off his back for anyone. I always got a kick out of Ryan, whenever he saw me, he would always call me pops.

 

[Ski-and-Sea]

Oh Andy, that is so horrible. What a terrible tragedy - and they haven't found the body???? Prayers to everyone. When you are faced with an accidental death of someone so young you constantly go through the "what ifs" and why did this happen. You're probably crying as much as Angelina.

 

[Mjasp]

Andy...Just realized it was in the Delaware River. My step father's sister lost her 2 sons in that river with the same current about 20 something years ago. They found one a few weeks later, but never found the other boy.
I hope they find him, as it brings closure. Are all rivers that rough?

 

[Verandah Man]

Andy...Just realized it was in the Delaware River. My step father's sister lost her 2 sons in that river with the same current about 20 something years ago. They found one a few weeks later, but never found the other boy.
I hope they find him, as it brings closure. Are all rivers that rough?

There are some very strong currents that run in the Delaware River where Ryan was last seen. I just arrived home from going down to the river and saw two rescue boats still searching. A news reporter from our local ABC station was standing a few feet from me talking with the park rangers, and one of the rangers was telling the reporter how strong the undercurrents are.

I said a short prayer while I was standing there. The area of the river is very wide near where the island is that Ryan was trying to swim too, so if he did go under there, it's no telling where he might surface.

Angelina got a call around noon asking if she could come into work from 1-5 as the store manager was very sick and needed to go home. When Angelina told her what had happened she said she didn't need to come in, but Angelina asked the manager to let her come in, as she felt it would help her take her mind off of the tragic event, if only for a few hours. It's tearing my heart out seeing the pain on my little girl's face.

 

[Verandah Man]

I don't have it in me right now to type this message all over again, so I will simply add a link here: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20568687&postcount=72807[/b] but I found the story that was written in the high school newspaper about Ryan during this past school year.

 

[SeaSpray]

Hi everyone!

I just read Joanna's Explorer of the Seas review and wanted to come here and say Hello! I didn't realize this thread has been so active lately, I'm not getting the email notices!!

Things are going well with us here; I went to WDW twice this year, and we're booked for May 2008. And we'll be on the Explorer of the Seas 8 weeks from tomorrow. Can't wait to finally cruise with my DSister, DBIL, DNiece, her DH, and their DD, and of course my DH! DSs aren't going on the cruise, but they're going to WDW with us in May

I've been in a "Biggest Loser" contest at work since June 1st and tomorrow is our final weigh-in. I've been in the lead every single week, and I'm guardedly optimistic that tomorrow I'll be declared the winner. I've lost close to 25 pounds so far (DH has lost close to 30!) and I plan on continuing with my diet. John and I have been doing South Beach and we don't even feel like we're on a "diet" anymore, it has really become second nature now.

Craig starts college next Tuesday, and Robby starts school on Wedneday. Time really flies, where'd the summer go??




Andy: What a horrible thing My son Robby (16) has had a couple of similar events in his young life this summer; one of his best friends' fathers died of a heart attack suddenly and unexpectedly, and just 2 days after that, a boy in their high school was killed. Robby told me "Mom, this was the ONE kid in school that EVERYBODY really liked, he was friends with everyone and just a really good guy". Soon after both deaths Robby had a rough few days where I think he had an anxiety attack. He was in NJ at the time, and I was here in MA, but he emailed me and called me on the phone and told me all about it, and I was able to talk to him about what happened, and his dad and stepmom were there for him too. It's been several weeks now since this all happened and he seems to be OK (he's been back home for about a week and a half now), but next week school starts, and then the absence of this young man will be felt. My heart really goes out to Angelina and all of the friends and family of Ryan

EDITED TO ADD: Andy, I just read the newspaper article about Ryan... What a remarkable young man he was. What a loss for his family, now that's gone I also thought the name "Ryan" sounded familiar, then when I saw the picture you posted of Angelina and Ryan from 2005, I remembered.

 

[zack&alexmom]

Andy - I am so sorry to hear this tragic news. I can't imagine losing a child and even more so with those circumstances.

Linda

 

[Lainie1222]

Good Morning All
Andy, my thoughts and prayers are with yours and Ryan's families. May God bless you all at this horrific time.

 

[Verandah Man]

Thanks everyone for your words of comfort and support, they mean a great deal. Yesterday was a very tough day around here, but we made it through to wake up this morning and start a new day. Ryan will forever be remembered as a loving, caring, and giving person by all that knew him and he will be sadly missed by those same people.

 

[jbm02]

Andy, we are so sorry to hear the news about Angelina's friend Ryan. What a horrible, tragic event. His family, Angelina and all his friends are in our thoughts and prayers.
Jude & Sean

 

[florida sun]

My dear friend Andy

I am so so sorry to hear this tragic news, loads of hugs to you all and an email on its way

 

[DMMarla07860]

Andy-I am sorry hear this tragic news

 

[Verandah Man]

Thanks again dear friends, your support helps more than you know.

We just arrived home after stopping by at Ryan's house. We stopped and picked up a bucket of chicken and some large side dishes at KFC for his family. Ryan's grandmother told us that the rescue teams found three bodies in the river today, but none of them were Ryan. The search was called off for the night because the sun was setting, but the search teams will be back out after sunrise tomorrow morning.

Angelina was scheduled to work tonight, but her boss said she didn't need to come in if she didn't feel up to it, so when I got home from work, we went to Old Country Buffet to get something to eat.

I stopped by the river on my way home from work and said a little prayer. Angelina is doing OK, but she has been very quiet the past two days, very unlike her, Hazel and I are keeping a close eye on her.

 

[Ski-and-Sea]

Oh Andy, our hearts ache for you and your family.

I, too, would be stopping by the river all the time - just to be close.

I suspect Angelina may be thinking that if there isn't a body then maybe Ryan isn't really dead. I remember so many of the 9/11 families went through the same thing. She may be afraid to talk because if she starts mentioning Ryan in the past tense then he is really gone forever.

I think the two worst words in the English language are "confirmed dead".

Keeping your family in our thoughts and prayers.

 

[Verandah Man]

Update, Ryan's body was found this afternoon.

Missing teen's family spots his body
by South Jersey News Online
Saturday September 01, 2007, 2:16 PM

NATIONAL PARK -- The body of the West Deptford teen who went missing in the Delaware River Wednesday night was recovered Saturday after one of the boy's family members spotted it on the shoreline from a family-owned boat south of No Name Island.

Rescue workers recovered the body of Ryan Lewis, 17, at 1:28 p.m. between the Woodbury Creek and the inlet at Riverwinds, according to Dennis Kappler, Public Information Officer for the National Park Fire Department.

According to Kappler, emergency workers vigorously continued their search efforts... "to bring Ryan back to the family so they could have closure."

The teenager, a June graduate of West Deptford High School, was last seen around 9 p.m. Wednesday about 20 feet from the Beach Hill shoreline. He had gone into the river to aid three friends whose boat became stuck on a sandbar near No Name Island, a patch of sand and trees 200 yards from the shore, at low tide.

Lewis' family has not released a comment.

 

[Ski-and-Sea]

Thanks for the update Andy.......wow, isn't that always the way......a young kid goes to the aid of his friends and ends up paying the ultimate price. How sad, just so sad.

 

[DMMarla07860]

last day home before I leave for disney, it's busy, got two party's to go to, got to see if tapes for my camera work with my dad's camera since mine malfuctioned or whatever, got to make a dish for the one party I am going to, got to clean my room, and still got to pack it's a busy day, and then tomorrow morning I have to drive my cousin to his first day of school, at least I might be able to get last minute things I might need and we leave the house at 10:30 tomorrow.

So my day's are busy, busy,busy.

hope everyone is good

I have a feeling this cruise is going to feel short hopefully I can talk my day into talking me on a eastern cruise for my b-day and then still a CA cruise haha I'll be needing one of those after the cruise haha

 

[Ski-and-Sea]

last day home before I leave for disney, it's busy, got two party's to go to, got to see if tapes for my camera work with my dad's camera since mine malfuctioned or whatever, got to make a dish for the one party I am going to, got to clean my room, and still got to pack it's a busy day, and then tomorrow morning I have to drive my cousin to his first day of school, at least I might be able to get last minute things I might need and we leave the house at 10:30 tomorrow.

So my day's are busy, busy,busy.

hope everyone is good

I have a feeling this cruise is going to feel short hopefully I can talk my day into talking me on a eastern cruise for my b-day and then still a CA cruise haha I'll be needing one of those after the cruise haha

There's no question the 3-night is short. Don't get off the ship in Nassau and make that your sea day. I had just as fun on the 3-night as we did a year ago. With the exception of not seeing Twice Charmed and no Palo brunch, I was able to do everything I did on our 7-night cruise and I thought the CMs as a whole were a tad better.

Say hi to Pikey for us. Listen carefully to Christiaan's annoucements because he ad-libs things and he's a riot. Andy Carbone will always be our favorite CM but Christiaan does an excellent job.

Have a wonderful cruise.