The CRUX: True Survival Stories

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


Listen Later

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
  • Listen without advertisements and support the podcast.

    http://patreon.com/TheCruxTrueSurvivalPodcast

    Email us with suggestions! [email protected]

    Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thecruxpodcast/

    Get schooled by Julie in outdoor wilderness medicine! https://www.headwatersfieldmedicine.com/

    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
        • ...more
          View all episodesView all episodes
          Download on the App Store

          The CRUX: True Survival StoriesBy Kaycee McIntosh, Julie Henningsen, Bleav

          • 3.8
          • 3.8
          • 3.8
          • 3.8
          • 3.8

          3.8

          375 ratings


          More shows like The CRUX: True Survival Stories

          View all
          American History Tellers by Wondery

          American History Tellers

          19,041 Listeners

          How I Survived by Pacific Podcast Network

          How I Survived

          820 Listeners

          American Scandal by Wondery

          American Scandal

          18,987 Listeners

          Not Today by Not Today

          Not Today

          988 Listeners

          Against The Odds by Wondery

          Against The Odds

          7,746 Listeners

          Get Out Alive by Ashley Bray

          Get Out Alive

          198 Listeners

          Short History Of... by NOISER

          Short History Of...

          2,653 Listeners

          History Daily by Airship | Noiser | Wondery

          History Daily

          2,057 Listeners

          Real Outlaws by NOISER

          Real Outlaws

          245 Listeners

          Real Survival Stories by NOISER

          Real Survival Stories

          1,242 Listeners

          The Spy Who by Wondery

          The Spy Who

          559 Listeners

          D-Day: The Tide Turns by NOISER

          D-Day: The Tide Turns

          342 Listeners

          Extreme by BBC

          Extreme

          108 Listeners

          Ancient Civilisations by NOISER

          Ancient Civilisations

          182 Listeners

          Titanic: Ship of Dreams by NOISER

          Titanic: Ship of Dreams

          1,037 Listeners