Praying

My stepson, Kai, asked me this weekend what we would be doing for his 13th birthday this year. Sometimes we have parties for him or take him out of town, but this year he's asked for a pool party.

Kai's mom is to be married in June, and it seems that he's about to have 3 new step-brothers. Since Kai is an only child, he has been so excited about this, and asked if instead of having a regular party, if he and his new brothers could celebrate at our house, poolside. Of course, we didn't see anything wrong with this.

Just as it seemed he might have a normal family life, tragedy has struck...


Search mission on for teenagers missing at sea

Planes, boats, helicopters cover area stretching from Charleston to Bull's Bay
Published on 04/26/05
BY JOHN CHAMBLISS
Of The Post and Courier Staff
The last time Shane Coker heard from his younger brother, Troy Driscoll told him he loved him.

More than 36 hours after receiving the voice mail message, 50 rescue workers using boats, helicopters and airplanes, including a C-130, searched rough waters Monday for Troy, 15, and his fishing buddy, Josh Long, 18. The search stretched 34 miles off shore from Charleston Harbor to Bull's Bay.

Officials were not yet calling the search a recovery mission.

"Maybe tomorrow," said Tom Allen, deputy group commander of the Coast Guard.

Coker clung to his girlfriend as he spoke about his half brother.

"He just let me know that he loved me," Coker said. "He just called to see how I was doing."

A helicopter searched into the chilly night for the teenagers as boaters and additional rescue officials planned to resume searching the cold waters at 8:30 a.m. today.

Rescuers were hampered by harsh winds Monday evening.

"We will continue to search until we come to some sort of resolution," said Angus MacBride, a corporal with the Department of Natural Resources.

As the hours passed, about 30 family members and friends hugged and cried as they stood on the banks of the beach at Station 30 on Sullivan's Island. The boat trailer used by the teenagers could be seen near the water.

"I'm really mad that he'd do something like this," said Jonathan Goerling, a brother of Long's. "I really don't know if he'd thought this one over."

Troy is the son of Anthony Driscoll, a captain with the North Charleston Fire Department.

"We're all hoping that he's all right," said Fire Chief Al Rissanen. "He (Troy) grew up in the Fire Department knowing everyone."

The teens were last seen about 10:30 a.m. Sunday when they left home to go shark fishing.They told some friends they were going to Folly Beach and others that they were fishing off Sullivan's Island.

They arrived at Sullivan's Island about 12:30 p.m. in a 1996 Ford Explorer, Coast Guard officials said.

The teens placed a 14-foot Sunfish fiberglass boat into the water off of Sullivan's Island during a small-craft advisory, with the tide going out, winds up to 28 knots and a water temperature of about 62 degrees. The boat is white, and has a blue hull with the black words "Under Construction."

George Wood, the director of the sailing program at the College of Charleston, said the Sunfish is one of the most popular recreational boats in the nation.

Made by Vanguard Sailboats, the boat weighs about 200 pounds. Normally, the boats are for one occupant, but Wood said that two can fit into the boats. The boats have foot wells of about 3 feet by 3 feet.

"It wasn't designed to be fished off of," Wood said.

The teens were equipped with two paddles. It was unclear if they were wearing life jackets.

Josh's father, Eddie Long, called the Coast Guard about 10 p.m. Sunday after the teens didn't return home.

Coast Guard officials searched from Folly Beach to Sullivan's Island until they found the Explorer about 11 a.m. Monday on Station 30.

The two teens are longtime friends from North Charleston.

Troy is a straight A student at Cathedral of Praise Academy. He plays soccer, baseball, golf and loves the outdoors.

"He's just a big-hearted person who will give you the shirt off his back," Coker said.

"Troy is the light of their (his parents) lives," said Joann Cantrell, a family friend.

Josh, a student at Fort Dorchester High School, also loved outdoor activities. He was described as a survivalist.

"He is the 'I-can-do-it' kind of fella," Cantrell said. "We are trusting whatever happened, that they are safe because of him."

John Chambliss covers crime. Contact him at 937-5573 or jchambliss@postandcourier.com.



Kevin and I went out yesterday on our boat to help assist in the search for Josh and his friend. They requested that we take a smaller boat out, to search creeks and smaller areas, as the main waterways were being searched by larger boats and planes already. It was a pretty rough day out and considering the size boat we were in, it was dangerous, ourselves, to be out there crossing the harbor. Our boat rocked heavily side to side, fighting the waves, and water began to come in. I have to admit that I was scared, and Kevin and I both knew that this was no condition for us to be out in. I can only imagine what it was like for those kids.

I can only imagine what has happened to them. Sunday was a very bad day, too bad for Kevin to even go out fishing in our back yard. I don't know what could have made those boys want to go out in that kind of weather, in a boat like that. Although I hope for the best, I'm afraid of what may be found.