Survivor: girl found in the sea told the terrible truth only half a century later (10 photos)

Traveling on a yacht with the whole family, the lulling whisper of the waves, gentle rays of the sun, harmony and peace - is it possible to think of vacation better? But for the Duperro family, the fulfillment of an old dream turned into terrible tragedy.





Renowned Wisconsin optometrist Arthur Duperrault for several years saved up money to give his family a really luxurious sea rest. When the required amount was accumulated, the man chartered a yacht for travel in the Caribbean.

Seven people boarded: the Duperraults, their three children and yacht captain Julian Harvey with his wife. But the dream journey is unexpected turned into a nightmare on the water. Julian went crazy and dealt with everyone yacht passengers. Only 11-year-old girl Terry Jo Duperro survived - daughter of Arthur and Jean. The unfortunate had a chance to see the dead with their own eyes relatives - mother, father, sister and brother.



The same yacht

The girl was found on the high seas in 1961. And almost half a century Terry Jo remained silent. But still I decided to reveal the truth to the world in the hope that her story will help someone cope with their inner demons and deal with grief, loss, or trauma.



Captain Harvey

She published the book "Alone: Lost in the Ocean", where everything and told. Captain Harvey agreed to the trip for a reason. Him there were terrible reasons to go to sea. Julian got into debt. AND the only way, in his opinion, to pay off the obligations was the insurance he planned to collect for the death of his wife Mary. But she unraveled her husband's plan and decided to fight, telling everything to the family Duperro. When the captain realized that his plan had failed, he fell into madness. and began to deal with everyone who came to hand.



Duperro family

In the novel, the woman wrote that the moment of death of relatives, fortunately, did not see. During the night she heard a noise on deck and got up to find out what happening. Upstairs, Terri saw the bodies of her mother and brother, covered in blood, no signs of life.

Julian, having dealt with the passengers and his wife, prepared the boat, to escape on it after the flooding of the yacht. He forgot something on deck and ordered the girl to hold the tether. Then he rushed at Terry with a knife, but the girl let go of the rope, and the crazy captain rushed to the boat to be able to be saved. He did not waste time, hoping that Terry would perish at sea.

Harvey himself was rescued the next day. The man told a story about a sudden fire on a yacht that killed his wife and passengers. Although the story looked dubious, there was no reason not to believe Julian. was.

But everything changed four days later. That's how long managed to spend a little girl on the high seas all alone, without food and water, relying only on themselves and offering prayers to God.



On a tiny raft, she drifted into the sea until the girl was noticed the sailors of a Greek merchant ship. Before losing feelings, Terry managed to whisper to the captain who she was.



When Captain Harvey found out about the rescue, he killed himself. Terri was taken away by relatives who decided never to remind her of tragic story. Psychologists worked with her, but, according to Terry, before They never got to the root of the problem.



Rescued Terri in the hospital

Despite the time, she could not erase the terrible pictures of the past: the bloodied bodies of relatives, the insane look of a man with knife, the scorching rays of the sun that burned her skin, a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness.






Terry today

But Terry still found the strength to live on and share her history with others, albeit decades later. The main purpose of the novel became the message that under no, even the most difficult life Circumstances should not give up and give up.