SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Two years after a yacht erupted in flames, a South Florida father shared his survival story and thanked those who saved his life.
Standing before other trauma survivors on Wednesday, 60-year-old Michael Robson was the keynote speaker at HCA Florida Kendall Hospital’s trauma and burn program.
Robson lost his wife and dog in the fire, but he provided words of hope to the crowd at the event.
“It’s about finding your courage and no matter how hard it is, know that you are not alone,” said Robson.
The journey of finding one’s courage is one Robson knows too well.
Robson almost lost his life in July 2023 when his flames tore through his yacht at Perry Hotel & Marina in the Florida Keys.
“Being almost dead, and He lets you live. There has to be a reason. So, what is the reason? Well, there has to be a purpose,” he said.
Moments before the tragedy, he said he was spending time with his wife, Linda Vella.
“We had gone to bed around 9 o’clock. We had a storm that blew in and knocked her e-bike into the water. We pulled it out. We hosed it off. We took the battery out. Three hours later, it caught on fire from the saltwater,” said Robson.
He said he and his son got out of the boat injured by the flames.
“I got out of the boat badly burned from the battery. My son got out,” he said.
Robson and his son were airlifted to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital in critical condition.
His wife and their beloved dog died in the blaze.
“I believe that my wife went back for the dog, Dozer, and just never made it out with the smoke inhalation,” said Robson.
His son recovered quickly, but he spent six months in the hospital suffering from severe burns.
Robson said that the combination of fighting for his life and dealing with mourning his wife and pet made for a difficult time.
“It was the most painful thing I’ve ever been involved with in my entire life,” said Robson.
In his worst days, the survivor said he remembered his wife’s voice to give him the strength to keep fighting.
“She had told me that if anything happened to her, she wanted me to raise the kids, to fight for them, no matter what. That I was their dad,” he said.
In his keynote speech, he thanked the medical staff and doctors who saved his life and nursed him back to health, but he also pointed to his children, who stood by his side as he recovered.
“They gave up their lives, their jobs to come take care of Dad,” he said.
By sharing his story, Robson wants to remind others who are struggling that they are stronger than they think.
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