Former Miami Dolphins FB Rob Konrad describes 'boater's nightmare'

Knocked off boat by wave, Konrad spends 16 hours in water

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Former Miami Dolphins fullback Rob Konrad said he is thankful to be alive after surviving "a boater's nightmare."

Konrad spoke to the media Monday for the first time since Wednesday night's ordeal.

The former second-round draft pick said he was nine miles out in the Atlantic Ocean when "an unusually large wave" knocked him off his boat, which was on autopilot and headed in the direction of the Bahamas.

"At that point in time I realized, you know, after panicking for a minute, realized I was in some real trouble," Konrad told reporters.

Konrad said he didn't have a flotation device and there were no boats in sight, so he started to swim back to shore. Konrad said he worried about catching hypothermia, but after about five hours in the water, he started to believe he could make it back to shore.

"After some time I just said, 'Look, I'm not dying tonight,'" Konrad said.

Konrad saw a fishing boat about 50 yards from him and later saw the U.S. Coast Guard searching for him, but they didn't see him. But he remained determined to make it to shore because of his two daughters.

Along the way, Konrad was bitten by jellyfish and was circled by a shark as the sun began to set.

Konrad finally made it to Palm Beach about 4:30 a.m. Thursday after spending 16 hours in the water and traveling 27 nautical miles.

"It certainly tests your mind when you're in the water that long," Konrad said.

Konrad was taken to Good Samaritan Medical Center, where he was treated for hypothermia and severe hydration.

"I was nervous to touch him," his wife said. "He was in a lot of pain."

Tammy Konrad said her husband "had two angels on his back."

"It's truly a miracle," she said.