A man at a New York lake thought he was going to die stranded in the water, until a floating Tiki bar of priests happened to come by, saving his life, numerous sources reported.
Jimmy MacDonald was at Lake George in Albany paddling his kayak, and drifted away from his wife and step kids while taking pictures. But choppy water made it difficult for him to get back to shore, and then he tipped over and lost his kayak paddle, WNYT reported.
He was stranded in 30 feet of water, with his life jacket coming up over his head as he desperately held on to the kayak and his new $1,400 smartphone. He watched as kayakers and canoeists passed by in the distance, but he was too proud to scream for help. He tried to regain control of the kayak, but soon enough, began to lose hope that he’d survive.
“That’s when I said, ‘Alright, I think I might die today. I think this might be it.’ I prayed to my lord and savior Jesus Christ for help,” MacDonald said according to WNYT. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: ‘An Epidemic’: Trump Campaign Condemns Anti-Catholic Crimes)
Fortunately for MacDonald, out on the water that day were the Paulist Fathers, a Catholic religious community from St. Joseph’s Seminary in Washington, D.C. The seminarians and priests aboard the boat were on their retreat when they saw MacDonald and, with the help of the Tiki Tours staff, hoisted MacDonald to safety.
One of the seminarians, Noah Ismael, told NBC Washington that it was “a movement of the Holy Spirit” that they happened upon MacDonald at that time.
“We’re missionaries,” said Chris Malano, a second-year seminarian, according to WNYT. “For us, that day, that was our mission to be present and to help someone in need.”
MacDonald, who is a substance abuse counselor and recovered substance abuser, found it ironic that it was a tiki bar that saved him after he’s been sober for several years.
“I just take that as a sign from God that he’s got me here for a real reason,” said MacDonald.