The Last Goodbye: Survival in the Gulf of Mexico | E 173

In March 2012, two lifelong friends and former Marines, Ken Henderson and Ed Cohen, embarked on what should have been a perfect fishing trip to the oil rigs 50 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. Within minutes, their 30-foot boat suffered catastrophic failure and sank beneath them, leaving them stranded in frigid 65-degree waters with no rescue in sight.

Learn about this harrowing 30+ hour survival ordeal that tested every limit of human endurance, friendship, and sacrifice. Ken, a retired sheriff's deputy and water rescue expert, and Ed, a devoted father and grandfather, faced hypothermia, hallucinations, and the vast emptiness of the Gulf's treacherous currents.

This deeply moving story explores the unbreakable bond between Marines, the impossible choices that love sometimes forces us to make, and the devastating reality that sometimes survival comes at the ultimate cost. Through expert analysis of cold water survival, Gulf of Mexico maritime hazards, and the psychology of extreme situations, discover how preparation, training, and the power of human connection can mean the difference between life and death.

Warning: This episode contains mature themes and emotional content related to life-and-death survival situations.

A tribute to friendship, sacrifice, and the courage to make impossible decisions when everything depends on it.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Welcome to the Crux True Survival Story Podcast
• 00:34 A Perfect Day Turns into a Nightmare
• 01:30 The Gulf of Mexico: A Dangerous Beauty
• 03:09 Meet Ken and Ed: Brothers in Arms
• 04:35 The Fishing Trip Begins
• 07:28 Disaster Strikes: The Boat Sinks
• 09:56 Struggling to Survive in the Gulf
• 17:11 A Heart-Wrenching Decision
• 18:57 Ken's Fight for Survival
• 21:09 The Aftermath: Coping with Loss
• 23:17 Conclusion and Listener Call to Action

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Primary Source Materials

News Articles and Reports:

• International Business Times - "Ken Henderson and Ed Coen: Tragedy Strikes Gulf After Boating Accident Claims 1" by Dave Smith, March 28, 2012
• NBC News - "Boating tragedy recounted: 'Kiss them babies for me'" by Ramit Plushnick-Masti (Associated Press), March 28, 2012
• New York Daily News - "Texas man leaves best friend to die, survives 35 hours in the Gulf of Mexico" (Associated Press), Updated January 10, 2019
• Daily Mail - "'Kiss them babies for me': The last words beloved father said to his best friend after their fishing boat sank" (Associated Press), March 27-28, 2012
• Conroe Courier - "Hard choice means life and death for two friends" by Nancy Flake and Carrie Thornton, March 26, 2012

Television Documentation:

• "Fight to Survive" - Ken Henderson Story (Season 1, Episode 1 or Season 3, Episode 1 - sources show conflicting season numbers)
• Aired on multiple platforms including Apple TV, Prime Video, and Pluto TV
• Documentary featuring Ken Henderson's detailed firsthand account of the incident
• Show description: "Best friends, Ed Cohen and Ken Henderson, set out for two days of Texas gulf fishing. Tragedy strikes and the two men are stranded adrift in hostile waters."

Background Information Sources

Gulf of Mexico Information:

• Wikipedia entry for Gulf of Mexico, including geographical, meteorological, and safety data
• Gulf of Mexico water temperature data for March conditions
• Information about Gulf currents, weather patterns, and offshore fishing conditions

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