JUPITER, Fla. (WSVN) — Saturday marks six years since two South Florida boys vanished at sea. Now, a monument is honoring them while also promoting boating safety.
The monument was unveiled in Palm Beach County to a large crowd of family and friends in honor of two teens who went missing close to six years ago.
Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos, two 14-year-olds from Tequesta, disappeared at sea in July 2015. They were last seen off Jupiter Inlet.
This monument is a product of the AustinBlu Foundation.
It was erected to help promote boat safety and remember the lives lost.
“This is what would be great if the statue honestly did that and grabbed everyone a little bit on their way out,” said Blu Stephanos, Austin’s father.
“Every time you’re going in or out of that inlet, take a look over,” said Bryan Willoughby. “Look at the statue and just remember those lost at sea.”
And the Stephanos family said they hope this monument is just the beginning. They’re trying to get federal approval for an Austin Alert.
It would be just like an Amber Alert, but on the water to help find missing boaters.
“It’ll target your phone, so if you’re in that geo-area, it’ll send out a message,” Willoughby said.
“That’s an unbelievable opportunity for people and humanity to be the best it can be,” Stephanos said.
And it’s another opportunity to keep people safe, another opportunity to remember two boys who, six years ago, didn’t come home.
“That day has never left my memory. It’s never left a dream,” Willoughby said. “Just the emotions, everything that transpired that night, I think will live on with me forever.”
Austin’s father said because he never buried his son, he’s never really had a place to visit him.
He thinks this memorial can be that place.
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