The Quest For The Boat Named Amen

There is indeed a boat named Amen, and its story is nothing short of miraculous. In April 2019, two Florida teenagers, Tyler Smith and Heather Brown, were celebrating their senior skip day at Vilano Beach near St. Augustine. As they ventured into the water, they soon found themselves caught in a strong ocean current, pulling them further and further from the shore. After nearly two hours of struggling, they cried out to God for help, and remarkably, their prayers were answered in the form of a boat named Amen.

Florida teens Tyler Smith and Heather Brown were stranded at sea

Florida teens Tyler Smith and Heather Brown were enjoying their senior skip day at Vilano Beach, near St. Augustine, on April 18, 2019, with a group of classmates from Christ's Church Academy. The two teens, who have been friends since fourth grade, decided to swim towards an island despite the absence of lifeguards on that remote part of the beach.

Smith and Brown initially aimed for a red buoy a few dozen yards away, but soon found themselves being pulled away by the strong currents. They then changed their target to the St. Augustine Lighthouse but soon realised they were getting further away from it.

"We started to realise we were getting further away from the lighthouse rather than getting closer," Smith said. "That's when we started to freak out."

The teens tried to swim for an hour and a half but eventually grew exhausted. They linked arms and floated together, praying for help. "When we linked arms, honestly cried out to God, 'If you're out there, please send something to save us,'" Smith recalled.

Fortunately, their prayers were answered. A boat en route from South Florida to New Jersey spotted them and hauled them to safety. The boat was captained by Eric Wagner, who revealed to the teens that the vessel was called "Amen".

"I told them the name of the vessel, that's when they started to cry," Wagner said. "The young couple was gracious and grateful to us and to God. It was the latter all along."

Smith and Brown were safely returned to shore and reunited with their families. They are set to graduate from high school and plan to serve in the military.

They were rescued by a boat named 'Amen'

It was a miracle that they were rescued by a boat named Amen. Tyler Smith and Heather Brown, two Florida high school seniors, had spent their day off from school swimming at Vilano Beach. They decided to swim towards an island, but soon found themselves caught in a strong ocean current. They tried to swim towards a red buoy, but the distance kept increasing. They then aimed for the St. Augustine Lighthouse but soon realized they were getting further away from it.

Exhausted and desperate, they linked arms and floated together, crying out to God for help. "I cried out: 'If you really do have a plan for us, like, come on. Just bring something,'” Tyler recalled. Their prayers were answered when a boat appeared out of nowhere. It was the "Amen", captained by Eric Wagner, and en route from South Florida to New Jersey. Wagner and his crew hauled them in, gave them blankets, and returned them safely to shore.

"It came out of nowhere, Heather said. "When I saw it, I knew we were getting out of here." She added that her first thought was, "God is real." The rescue was especially meaningful given the boat's name, which can be used as an expression of faith and agreement. Captain Wagner himself felt that "God sent him there", and that it was divine intervention.

The two teenagers, who were unharmed but exhausted, were incredibly grateful to Captain Wagner and his crew for rescuing them. They also felt that their rescue was a sign of God's presence and protection. With graduation approaching and college on the horizon, they believed that God had a plan for them and that they had a second chance at life.

The teens were rescued around two hours after being stranded

Two Florida high school seniors, Tyler Smith and Heather Brown, were enjoying their senior skip day at Vilano Beach near St. Augustine on April 18. After going for a swim, they found themselves stranded in the ocean, more than a mile from the shore. The teens, both 17-year-old soccer players, fought the waves for nearly two hours, growing increasingly exhausted and desperate to get back to shore.

"I cried out: 'If you really do have a plan for us, like, come on. Just bring something,'” Tyler recalled. Heather added, "At that point, we knew we were in trouble." The pair linked arms and floated together, praying for rescue.

Their prayers were answered when a boat, en route from South Florida to New Jersey, spotted them. The boat's captain, Eric Wagner, described how he and his crew heard a desperate scream over the wind, waves, and engines. He immediately called the Coast Guard and steered his boat, the "Amen", towards the stranded teens.

Tyler and Heather were overwhelmed with emotion when Captain Wagner revealed the name of his boat. "The first words that came out of my mouth [when they pulled her aboard] were, 'God is real,'” Heather said. Wagner himself was struck by the coincidence, saying, "There were too many coincidences, in my opinion, for this to be a coincidence. I truly believe it was divine intervention."

The teens were safely returned to shore, where they later spoke to Captain Wagner via Facetime to express their gratitude. They believe that God sent Wagner and his crew to rescue them, and they are thankful for the opportunity to continue pursuing their dreams. Heather plans to attend Embry Riddle University to study homeland security and become a naval ROTC marine officer, while Tyler intends to study business finance at Florida Atlantic University, obtain his pilot's license, and join the Air Force.

Captain Eric Wagner was at the helm of the boat

Wagner, an experienced sailor, had no idea what fate had in store for him and his crew that day. As they navigated the choppy waters, they suddenly heard a faint cry for help. It was the desperate scream of 17-year-old Tyler Smith, who, along with his friend Heather Brown, was stranded in the ocean, fighting to stay afloat. The two high school seniors from Christ's Church Academy in Jacksonville, Florida, had been swept away while swimming off Vilano Beach on their senior skip day.

Captain Wagner, upon hearing the cries, sprang into action. He and his crew searched the waters, and soon enough, they spotted the exhausted teens. Tyler and Heather were weak from fighting the waves and currents for hours, and their situation was becoming dire. They had linked arms and were floating together, doing their best to stay above water. Captain Wagner manoeuvred his boat closer to the struggling teens, and they hauled them aboard, providing them with much-needed assistance and warmth.

As the rescued teens caught their breath, Captain Wagner shared a surprising revelation with them—the name of his boat was "The Amen". This struck a chord with Tyler and Heather, who had been praying fervently for rescue. They couldn't believe the serendipity of being saved by a boat with such a fitting name. It seemed like divine intervention, and they were incredibly grateful to Captain Wagner and his crew for answering their desperate calls for help.

Captain Eric Wagner, a humble and compassionate sailor, downplayed his role in the rescue. He stated, "I was just put there at the right place at the right time, and I did the same thing anyone else would have done: pulled them aboard." He recognised the extraordinary coincidences and believed that a higher power had played a role in bringing them to the stranded teens. Wagner's quick thinking and seafaring expertise undoubtedly played a crucial role in saving the lives of Tyler and Heather.

Both teens plan to join the military

Two Florida teens, Tyler Smith and Heather Brown, were rescued by a boat named "Amen" after they were stranded in the ocean. The teens, who have been friends since the fourth grade, were swimming off Vilano Beach near St. Augustine on April 18 when they found themselves caught in a strong current and unable to return to shore. After nearly two hours of struggling against the waves, they began to pray for help.

Thirty minutes later, their prayers were answered when a boat appeared. Smith and Brown were rescued by Captain Eric Wagner and his crew, who were headed from Delray Beach, South Florida, or Jacksonville to New Jersey. Wagner shared that he and his crew had decided to go out despite the rough waves. Both Wagner and the teens were thankful for that decision.

Both Smith and Brown graduated from Christ's Church Academy on May 19 and planned to serve in the military. They believe that their experience at sea was a sign that God has a plan for them. Brown plans to attend Embry Riddle University to study homeland security and become a naval ROTC marine officer. Smith intends to go to Florida Atlantic University to study business finance, obtain his pilot's license, and join the Air Force.

Smith and Brown's director of marketing and development at Christ's Church Academy, Jeanie Collins, expressed the school's gratitude for their rescue. She said, "The staff, students, and families of Christ's Church Academy are incredibly grateful for God's protection over Heather and Tyler. Thank you to Mr. Eric Wagner, captain of the 'Amen' vessel that rescued our students, for your action and compassion!"

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