Colorado Couple Sells Possessions, Sets Sail On A Dream But Crashes Boat
BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (CBS4) - A couple who once lived in Breckenridge says their life possessions were lost last week after the boat they lived in sank in the ocean off Florida's west coast.
Nikki Walsh and Tanner Broadwell lived in Colorado before chasing their dreams of sailing around the world. After about two years of planning, the couple sold most of their possessions and purchased a boat.
However, shortly after setting sail, their boat crashed into an unknown object. Quickly, the 28-foot-long boat would be filled with water.
"It was scary. It was really scary, because the waves were tossing our boat from (side-to-side)," Walsh said.
"We began to sink, called sea tow, and (lost) everything we had," Broadwell said. "It was really dramatic. All the things we had, no matter how tied down they were, were getting tossed and thrown, and hitting us."
The couple was able to grab a few items before escaping to a row boat for safety. The main concern they had, after their own lives, was their pug Remy.
"I had his life vest on him. He was shaking, he was scared," Walsh said. "I was shaking. I'm like, 'Tanner, everything we've ever had is gone. Everything we worked for is gone.'"
All three would survive and were transported back to the Florida shore that night.
When returning to see the shipwreck, they found the boat submerged in the water. All of the possessions they left in the boat were ruined.
"There were sentimental objects that can't be replaced," Broadwell said.
The couple did not have insurance on the boat. They also do not have jobs. Their only savings were enough to last them a few months.
With their life's possessions now resting at the bottom of the ocean, the couple said they are simply encouraged to be together, amid a trying time.
"It teaches you a lesson of what really matters to you," Broadwell said.
LINK: Nikki Walsh and Tanner Broadwell's GoFundMe Page
Dillon Thomas is a reporter at CBS4 and a Colorado native. He believes everyone has a story, and would love to share yours! You can find more of his stories by following him on Twitter, @DillonMThomas.