Not Without Hope [Hardcover]

Nick Schuyler (Author), Jere Longman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2, 2010

What began as a relaxing fishing party became a harrowing tale of death and survival against unfathomable odds. On Saturday February 28, 2009, 24-year-old Nick Schuyler and three football friends - Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper, 26, Lions defensive end Corey Smith, 29, and Will Bleakley, 25, a teammate from the University of South Florida - sailed away from Tampa Bay for a day of fun in the Gulf of Mexico. But 35 miles off the coast of Florida, their 21-foot boat flipped, hurling the four athletes into the rough water. For more than 12 hours, the foursome gripped the boat as the temperature dropped to 60 degrees and the waves climbed to more than 10 feet. Donning the life jackets Bleakley bravely retrieved from inside the overturned craft, the friends passed the time swapping stories of loved ones and memories from the gridiron. Yet to Schulyer's horror, he watched as one by one, Marquis then Corey, and finally his best friend Will succumbed to hypothermia brought on by the choppy seas and cold temperatures. As the hours lengthened, Schuyler held each man in his arms as they passed, powerless to save them. Alone, Schuyler tenaciously clung to the exposed propeller of the boat overnight until the Coast Guard miraculously discovered him 45 hours after he was tossed into the Gulf's waters. Though he had been wearing thicker clothing than his friends-a hooded sweatshirt, ski cap, and pants that he'd donned after feeling seasick - Schulyer too suffered severe hypothermia and lacerations along his thighs and torso-and most tragically, the guilt of being the only man to survive. In "Not Without Hope", Schulyer shares the full story of the accident for the first time. Recounting the events that led up to the fateful day and the four lives that became inextricably intertwined, he relives those intense 45 traumatic hours and probes the psychological and physiological depths he endured to survive. In addition, he tells the remarkable tale of the search and rescue mission that saved him. An incredible tale of courage, grief, strength, and love, "Not Without Hope" is an unforgettable true story of one man's incredible survival and a moving tribute to the friends he lost-and will never forget.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A harrowing account of his grim ordeal at sea...a nightmare of exhaustion, madness and death.” (Washington Post )

“Still haunted by the experience and the rumors that followed...Schuyler has written a memoir to set the record straight.” (People )

“A harrowing tale...The story [that] made headlines all over the world.” (New York Post )

“A profoundly sad struggle.” (Bloomberg News )

“A compelling account of tragedy at sea.” (Cleveland Plain Dealer )

“Eye-opener.” (USA Today )

About the Author

Nick Schuyler lives in Tampa, Florida.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1 edition (March 2, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061993999
• ISBN-13: 978-0061993992
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #292,707 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars RICK "SHAQ" GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "A MESMERIZING TRUE TALE OF TRAGEDY AND SURVIVAL!", March 4, 2010

By 

Rick Shaq Goldstein "*SHAQ*" (Danville, Ca, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Not Without Hope (Hardcover)

On February 28, 2009 four friends... excited as little kids... headed out on a fishing trip in Clearwater, Florida. The fact that all four young men were exceptionally physically fit makes the tragedy at sea that occurred hours later even more shocking to their loved ones... and the world at large. The four men were Nick Schuyler a physical trainer... Will Bleakley a former college football player... Corey Smith a professional football player... and Marquis Cooper a professional football player. The "excuse" for the fishing trip (as if an excuse was needed)... was that Marquis was getting ready to head out to the Oakland Raiders training camp. Marquis owned a twenty-one-foot, three-thousand-plus-pound boat and he wanted to get one more day of fishing in before succumbing to the brutality of an NFL training camp. All the guys were almost giddy with anticipation. Will and Nick were best friends and Corey and Marquis were new friends and training associates. Sandwiches were made... beer was packed... and Marquis had an unbelievable collection of fishing necessities.

The morning of the fishing trip Nick's Dad Stu who knew of the fella's fishing trip woke up early "TURNED ON THE TELEVISION AND SAW THAT A FORCEFUL UPPER AIR DISTURBANCE WAS APPROACHING THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES FROM THE NORTHWEST." Stu called his son and his call went directly to voice mail: "NICK, IF YOU GET THIS MESSAGE, HEAD BACK EARLY. A BIG STORM'S COMING IN."

What would follow is the death of three of the four men. This story is told in an unrelenting... heart pounding... literally spell binding manner... that will continue to assault your senses... as assuredly as the next wave would unmercifully pound Nick, Will, Corey... and Marquis. The author (Nick) states: "THIS IS WHAT I RECALL AFTER BEING IN THE WATER FOR FORTY-THREE HOURS, FRIGID AND ACHING AND SCARED, SO HUNGRY AND THIRSTY THAT I FELT I WAS EATING MY TEETH. THIS IS THE BEST I CAN DO AFTER HAVING THREE FRIENDS DIE, TWO OF THEM IN MY ARMS. THE SADDEST THING ABOUT THIS STORY IS, I AM THE ONLY ONE LEFT TO TELL IT."

What led to this disaster was their anchor getting stuck when they decided to head back. When normal efforts to dislodge the anchor failed... they made (according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) a deadly mistake: "IMPROPER TYING OF THE ANCHOR LINE TO AN EYE BRACKET ON THE PORT SIDE OF THE BOAT'S TRANSOM: ATTEMPTING TO THROTTLE FORWARD TO PULL THE ANCHOR FREE: AND FAILURE TO LEAVE ENOUGH SLACK IN THE LINE, WHICH LED THE STERN TO SUBMERGE AND THE BOAT TO CAPSIZE." Please believe me this is not a "spoiler". The author then takes you through a first person account of every frigid wave... crashing onto and into each man who was clinging in one way or another to the over turned boat AND EACH OTHER. The mental as well as the physical beating these poor souls were forced to endure... will undoubtedly affect every reader possessing even the smallest bit of empathy. As these brave young men held on for their very life... they each... in their own way show bits of heroism... bits of love... endure agonizing pain... and whether they know it or not... have their mental capacities drained... and stolen from them... by mother nature. As the hours pass in tortuous and murderous fashion... what once was... "A LOT OF "OH MY G-DS"... "OH MY G-D, IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING?" NOW IT WAS, "OH MY G-D, IS THIS IT?"

The feeling of helplessness that the reader is immersed in is so visceral... that at a point in the story when the author says we have now been in the water for twenty-hours... I thought that I/we had been through so much already... that I must have misread the beginning of the book when it said he was in the water for forty-three hours. I actually went back to the beginning twice to make sure I had read it correctly.

COAST GUARD NOTE: "In the water, boaters would also have quickly become susceptible to hypothermia as their body temperatures dropped below 95 degrees. Blood vessels in the arms and legs would begin constricting, rerouting blood to the body's core to protect the heart, lungs, and brain with sufficient heat. Shivering would progress to clumsiness of the hands, quick and shallow breathing, blue lips, confusion, slurred speech, and irrational and confrontational behavior."

And then it got worse! And Nick was alone. You will not be able to put this book down till you're done reading it... and then I guarantee you... you still will not be done with it for a long time.

Personal Note: Since I live in the California bay area and I am an Oakland Raider season ticket holder I followed this story closely as it was happening. I would not only like to share my sorrowful prayers with all the family members of the victims... but I would also like to tell Marquis Cooper's Father that the way he handled himself... and presented himself... when hope was being lost... displayed so much dignity... class... and love... that would make any Father and son in the world proud. G-d bless!

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sad but TRUE story, told very well, March 7, 2010

By 

A. lippert (Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Not Without Hope (Hardcover)

I followed this story on the news as it was happening and live in the same area, but I am one who only heard what was on TV or in the paper and we all know how they easily twist the facts. I wanted to know more and how it really happened. I bought this book and could not put it down. It is so detailed, it makes you/me feel like I really knew him, and the others. Every time I say something like.... its cold, in my mind I think its not bad at all compared to what they went through, in the water! This was a very SAD story and I shed a few tears for the men and families, but think the worst is those who dare criticize someone who lost his 3 best friends. I would love to see the tables turned.....

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read, wish it kept going!, March 17, 2010

By 

Gator Girly (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Not Without Hope (Hardcover)

This was one of the best non-fiction books I've read in a long time. It's disturbing, but truthful. You know the ending, but this explains how everything went down that weekend. I cried a few days, and laughed a few, but mostly read it so intensely that I couldn't help from turning page after page despite the fact that my clock read 3:00 a.m. just a few pages from the end of the book.