62 years after the infamous Alcatraz escape — did they make it to shore?

Today marks 62 years since the last escapees made their way off Alcatraz Island, creating one of the nation’s biggest mysteries: did they make it or die trying?

The escape of Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers has created a mythos in the Bay Area and the rest of the country that has sparked numerous theories, stories, and questions about whether or not their journey in 1962 was even possible.

Joleen Babcock is well aware of the story, as she was 15 when her family moved back to the island the same year as the escape.

She’s since written a book about the big escape, which she said sparked “supposedly, the biggest manhunt since the Lindbergh baby kidnapping.”

But when it comes to whether or not Morris and the Anglins made it, Babcock can’t say.

“It’s not likely that they are still alive. There’s lots of rumors, you know, that they’re in Brazil or there’s deathbed confessions. Most of it doesn’t hold water,” she said.

Whether it be sharks, cold water, or just the distance, there were several obstacles that could have seen the men meet their demise in the waters outside of the famous prison.

However, the answer, like that of D.B Cooper or any other American myth, will most likely never come to light, leaving many to simply ponder if they could make the swim themselves.