To infinity and beyond: A sparkling survival storyStory Highlights
Father says son's autism, love of water may have helped save his life
(CNN) -- Walter Marino shouted to his 12-year-old son, Christopher, as he drifted farther away in the Atlantic Ocean.
A Coast Guard crew found Christopher three miles away from where his father was rescued.
1 of 3 "To infinity," the father yelled.
"And beyond," Christopher replied.
After a rip current swept the boy and his father out to sea Saturday, darkness fell, and the sound of rescue helicopters and boats grew faint until they were nonexistent.
Despite the danger, Christopher, who has autism, was enjoying himself, his father said. The boy lacks a fear of death because of his autism and finds comfort in the water, Marino told CNN.
Marino finds comfort in his son. Their unique circumstances helped keep them alive for more than 12 hours in the open ocean, Marino said.
"With many kids with autism, the thing that is so dangerous is that they have no concept of fear or fear of death," Marino said. "In this case, though, it perhaps saved him -- that and the fact that water is one of his favorite things. Whenever he goes missing or tries to run away, we can always find him near water ... even at the mall if it is just near a fountain." See a map of where the father and son were rescued »
Christopher was laughing as the father and son were pulled farther and farther from Ponce Inlet, Florida. As the pair lunged for buoys -- and missed -- Christopher couldn't help but giggle. It was this spirit that helped ground Marino, the father said.
"It was a big entertainment roller coaster for him, that's what got me through it -- because he wasn't freaking out," said Marino, 46.
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Last Edited by Account Deleted by User on 11/10/2011 10:07 PM
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