Andrea Davis

Survival Was Only the Beginning: a Costa Concordia Story Andrea Davis

On Friday January 13th 2012, the cruise ship, Costa Concordia, ran aground spilling 3200 passengers and 1,000 crew members into the dark water of the Mediterranean. Thirty two people died and many more suffered physical and emotional scars that are still healing. Andrea and Laurence Davis, South African natives and Canadian citizens were unable to find space in a life boat and leading the way, followed by others, had to swim for their lives as the 2000 foot-long ship was rolling over on top of them. Filled with raw emotion, the chaotic events of that night are told through Andrea?s eyes from the over-turning dining room, to the open deck rife with panic and confusion, the decision to jump into the black waters and swim to a rocky shore, and the painful hike over coral rocks to safety. We witness the warm hospitality of the local Islanders who rescued, fed and clothed the survivors and the waiting world who prayed for news of their safety. The incredible decision to return to the scene of the disaster only six months later and thank the people of Giglio, despite the challenges of language and customs, attest to the open-hearted courage of the Davis couple.