During Man's 30 Hours Adrift, a Porpoise Gave Him Purpose

— -- A San Antonio, Texas, father is recovering today after spending 30 hours adrift in the Gulf of Mexico.

Joey Trevino, 37, was on a fishing trip with his uncle and two friends when their 25-foot boat sank in the rocky waters off the Gulf of Mexico Saturday.

“We noticed all the water coming on board and ... the whole front of the boat started going up,” Trevino said.

The men were all wearing life vests, but Trevino drifted away from the others, who were spotted by another vessel Sunday and rescued after 24 hours at sea.

Trevino waited for help to arrive.

“You’re looking at the clouds,” he said. "You’re looking at whatever to try to keep you focused."

Thinking about his wife and children gave Trevino strength. An encounter with a porpoise kept him going.

“He kind of bumped me, and I kind of rubbed him, and he kind of changed my attitude right there," Trevino said. "He kind of ... gives you hope.”

Trevino held on until crew members from an oil tanker heard his cries for help. The Coast Guard later lifted him to safety.

“When he came up, he seemed very aware of his surroundings,” said the Coast Guard’s Guy Walkner. “He was shaking. We were able to give him a blanket.”

Despite some bumps and bruises -- along with cuts on his hands and a hoarse voice -- Trevino escaped without any major injuries. The warm water temperatures kept him from the danger of hypothermia.