A Coast Guard helicopter crew based in Clearwater were reunited on Thursday with a Hurricane Ian survivor they rescued from a submerged boat near Pine Island last week.

What You Need To Know

  • Littlefield brought a plaque with a boat propeller mounted on it as a thank you gift to the crew

  • Littlefield said he was trying to move his 44-foot boat out of the Ian's path

  • The Coast Guard rescued 746 people and 94 pets

"I just want to express my thanks to the Jayhawk crew," said David Littlefield, 67. "Thank you so much." 

Littlefield said he was trying to move his 44-foot boat out of the Ian's path. The captain didn't realize he anchored near where the storm ended up coming ashore last Wednesday because his cell phone had died.

Littlefield said the rain from Hurricane Ian was so cold that he was worried about dying from hypothermia. The boat owner did have an EPIRB on him and said the Coast Guard arrived early Thursday morning to rescue him.

"About 2:30 in the morning, I heard the sound of a helicopter and it was the Jayhawk crew," said Littlefield. "That was the sweetest sound I ever heard." ​

Rescue swimmer Jethro Hauser was lowered in a basket onto the boat and said Littlefield was grateful to see him.

"It was awesome," said Hauser. "He grabbed me and the first words out of his mouth were thank you."​

Littlefield brought a plaque with a boat propeller mounted on it as a thank you gift to the crew and offered this advice for anyone caught in a life threatening situation.

"Don't panic. That's the big thing. You've got to keep a level head," he said. "Rely on life experience, training and then just hope for the best." 

So far, the Coast Guard has rescued a total of 746 people and 94 pets.