In July, a tourist from Macedonia named Ivan Drago was enjoying a day at the beach on the coast of Cassandra Island in Greece.
However, a strong wave swept him into the sea, leaving him stranded in the open water.
Despite his attempts to fight the tide, Ivan found himself unable to return to shore.
Eyewitnesses reported his predicament to rescuers, and a search was launched.
As Ivan struggled to stay afloat, a strange object floated by.
It was a large inflatable ball, half deflated but still able to provide some buoyancy.
Clinging to the ball, Ivan was able to survive for 18 hours in the open sea.
Eventually, he was found by the coastal guard and rescued.
The story of Ivan’s miraculous rescue made headlines in the local media, and it caught the attention of one mother in particular.
She recognized the inflatable ball as one that her children, 11-year-old Tryphon and six-year-old Thanos, had lost on a beach on the island of Lemnos, 80 miles away from where Ivan had been found.
The family was thrilled to learn that their lost toy had played a crucial role in saving Ivan’s life.
It is truly a remarkable coincidence that the inflatable ball, lost by a family on one island, ended up being the lifeline for a stranded tourist on another island.
Such situations, of course, are extremely rare, but it serves as a reminder of the unexpected ways in which fate can intervene in our lives.
It is also a reminder of the importance of being prepared for accidents and unforeseen events.
