'It’s a lot of motivation': Holland man kayaking from The Bahamas to U.S.

A Holland, NY man is training to kayak 80 miles from The Bahamas to the U.S. – joining and inspired by his friend who is just 10 months removed from nearly dying on a Utah mountainside.

For most of us, kayaking is just a fun thing to do in the summer, but for Silas Philbrick from Holland, it’s a bit more serious.

He’s on the water at all hours of the day and soon, on the ocean too.

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“June 21, we are going to be kayaking from the Bahamas to Lake Worth Beach in Florida,” Philbrick said.

You read that right, next month he will undertake an 80-mile international trek from The Bahamas to Florida.

“They say [it’ll take] about 13 to 15 hours,” Philbrick said.

“Why this specific challenge?” 7 News reporter Derek Heid said.

“I have a friend that nearly died in a hiking accident in the mountains in Utah,” Philbrick said. “We found this challenge then we dragged him onto it, and we will kayak together.”

That friend is Sam Warren. The Salt Lake City, Utah resident and Tyler Dillion, the friend who saved his life back in July, spoke to 7 News on Zoom.

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“What happened 10 months ago?” 7 News reporter Derek Heid said.

“We still don’t really know how far that fall was, longer than I have any right surviving, I think somewhere between 100 and 300 feet,” Warren said. “All resulting in seven broken bones and nine surgeries.”

“It’s a traumatic thing to see your best friend fall [off of a mountain] in front of you,” Dillion said.

Warren is not just watching Philbrick kayak, 10 months removed from being life-flighted from a mountain in critical condition, he’s participating.

“Why are you adding an extremely intense kayak into your recovery plan?” 7 News reporter Derek Heid said.

“It’s an endurance challenge I can do without (using) my leg,” Warren said.

“Honestly, it’s a lot of motivation to see someone come from that,” Philbrick said.

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The three of them will be taking on this journey together. The event they are taking part in, The Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis, raises money for Piper’s Angels, a nonprofit foundation for cystic fibrosis.

You can donate to their cause at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/pipers-angels-foundation-for-cystic-fibrosis?utm_campaign=p_cp+fundraiser-sidebar&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer