SUFFOLK COUNTY, NEW YORK: Dan Ho, a 63-year-old swimmer, had a close encounter with death on Monday morning when he went for a swim at Cedar Beach in Babylon, Long Island, New York. He was dragged away by a powerful current that reportedly took him 2.5 miles from the shore.

Even though Ho attempted to swim back the waves were too strong to make it back to the shore. He later seized a fishing rod that he spotted in the sea. After that, he created a makeshift flag out of it by taking off his shirt and tying it to the rod waiting for someone to rescue him.

Who is Dan Ho?

Ho battled the cold and weariness for more than five hours while treading water. He had begun to lose hope as his body turned blue from hypothermia, but some good samaritans reached minutes before Ho could have lost his grip. At around 10.30 am, Ho's prayers for a miracle to happen were answered when two fishermen saw his flag and approached him. They were Jim Hohorst, a retired FDNY marine engineer, and Michael Ross, his friend. They were fishing for striped bass on their boat, the Tropical Soul when they spotted a flag, the Daily Mail reported.

After seeing Ho in the water, waving a shirt flag, they quickly pulled him aboard and wrapped him in towels. In the meantime, they contacted the Coast Guard via radio and reported their location. Ho was barely able to speak as Hohorst and Ross. "He was blue - lips blue, body gray, he was totally hypothermic," Ross said.

He just kept saying, 'I thought I was a goner'

He told the fishermen that he had been in the water since 5 a m and that he thought he was going to die. He just kept saying, “I thought I was a goner, I thought I was a goner”’, Ross said. The fishermen said they were happy they found him and that they were impressed by his survival skills. The men said there were no other boats around at the time and that Ho was very lucky they spotted his flag. "He was just treading water, praying that some boat would come by," Ross said.

Ho is expected to make a full recovery

He further added, "And I can tell you there were no boats in the ocean - not for miles." The Coast Guard arrived shortly after and transferred Ho to their vessel, the Marine Juliet. Ho was treated for hypothermia and was brought to Fire Island, where an ambulance was waiting. He was taken to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip for further medical care. "I just hope everything’s good, and he’s okay", Hohorst said. Ho as per the publication, is expected to make a full recovery from his ordeal.