CHARLESTON, SC – It has been a week since Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos went missing during a fishing trip, their boat was found of the Florida coast. It’s believed the current would have taken them north and that has been how the search has progressed for Blu Stephanos, Austin’s Father.
“I feel like a drained battery I feel like I have been going as hard as I can, and every time I have someone just say they are going to find them or they are praying for me– or I meet them out here at the airstrip and they are flying, it gives me more hope and more energy– they will ever know.” said Stephanos at the airport on John’s Island Friday.
“We had twenty planes up in the air yesterday; private planes and I think we had another twenty the day before”
From Jupiter Florida to Georgia now to the waters off of Charleston it has been non-stop for an emotional father.
“I am giving it all I’ve got. I know those boys are out there I know they are ok.”
The outpouring of support financially has been huge as well an effort sparkled by social media quickly raised $300,000 but Stephanos knows the money will not last long. “We are going through a lot if money really fast though and it scares the hell out of me because I think we spent probably about $100,000 yesterday just in this search.”
It is a taxing search both emotionally and financially– Stephanos says he is getting father from this Florida home but his spirit and certainty keeps him heading north, where support may start to become harder and harder to find.
“I don’t know really that many people up here so anything that anyone can do to help me out at this point words can’t express how grateful I would be and how in need I feel at this point right now.”
The families asking those interested in joining the search efforts by land, air or sea to email findperryandaustin@gmail.com. There is a $100,000 reward for their safe return.
