Dennis Hale passed away recently. For those who are not familiar with him, Dennis Hale was the only survivor of the Great Lakes freighter Daniel J Morrell, which sank in Lake Huron on November 29, 1966. After the sinking of the Morrell, Dennis and 3 of his shipmates endured a 38 hour long struggle for survival in the icy waters of Lake Huron. One by one, Hales three companions perished in the icy cold conditions. Rescue eventually came for Hale 38 hours after the sinking of the Morrell as a Coast Guard helicopter lifted him to safety. Hale spent several days recovering in a hospital in Harbor Beach, and then countless years trying to come to grips with the reality of being the lone survivor of that 29 man crew. After his rescue, Hale lived a quiet, unassuming life with his wife Barbara in Ashtabula, Ohio. He would often attend anual memorial services for sailors who lost their lives sailing the Great Lakes. In 2010, Dennis Hale authored a book about his survival and rescue titled "Shipwrecked: Reflections Of The Sole Survivor." Having spent most of my life living on the shores of Lake Superior in Duluth, Minnesota, I spent long hours watching the ships that sailed back and forth. I've been witness to the foul weather that can plague the Great Lakes in the latter part of the shipping season.
The storm that claimed the Daniel J Morrell had come up suddenly, with 60 mph winds and 35 foot waves, the freighter could not withstand the onslaught. Of the 29 man crew, only Dennis and three shipmates made it into a life raft. Years after his ordeal, Hale recounted his tale of survival in a interview. "I'm a fighter but the uncertainty of not knowing if anybody knows you're missing and to hear your other friends cry out in pain like that is just...it makes life seem so useless, really. So I prayed." Dennis Hale was 75.
~Scott~
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