She said the ordeal was life-changing. “There is a true humility to wondering if today is your last day, if tonight is your last night.”
The sailors told the US Navy they survived because they had packed in a water purifier and enough food for a year, mostly dried goods like oatmeal and pasta.
However the water purifier had stopped working and they were down to their last gallon of water when Ms Appel got it fixed.
Command Master Chief Gary Wise greets Jennifer Appel, one of the sailors who got lost
AFP/Getty Images
Video released by the US Navy showed Ms Appel blowing kisses to an approaching vessel as their two dogs, Zeus and Valentine, barked and scampered about.
Ms Appel’s mother told the Associated Press that she never gave up hope that her daughter would be found.
Joyce Appel, 75, who lives in Houston, said she got a call from her daughter early yesterday morning - more than five months after they had last spoke.
“She said, `Mom?’ and I said, `Jennifer!?’ because I hadn’t heard from in like five months,” she said. “And she said `yes mom,’ and that was really exciting.”
Mrs Appel said her daughter departed on May 3 but her phone was lost overboard the first day she was at sea.
“Various things on her boat broke, the mast broke and the engine wouldn’t start when she needed power. So she had several problems that caused her to end up drifting in the ocean,” she said.
They received a medical assessment, food and beds aboard the Navy ship, where they will remain until the next port of call, the Navy said.
