Abby Sunderland As A Role Model

On Friday, June 11, 2010, sixteen-year-old Abby Sunderland was rescued from the Indian Ocean. The teenager had attempted to sail around the world, but was caught in a storm that destroyed her boat and left her stranded in the middle of the ocean. Letting Abby Sunderland circumnavigate the world was a huge mistake. It was a careless sanction made by her parents to allow it. Abby Sunderland should not have been allowed to sail around the world because she is too young, her parents were careless making the decision, and the trip endangered others.

“In 2010, the Coast Guard reported 4,604 boating accidents involving 672 fatalities and 3,153 injuries.” When Abby sailed in 2010, she easily could have become one of the 4,604 accidents or even one of the 672 fatalities recorded by the Coast Guard. This potential disaster could have been prevented if Abby was not …show more content…
The rescue workers could have easily been caught in the same storm that ruined Abby’s boat. Her rescue could have killed other people in order to save her. Luckily, Abby Sunderland was rescued without a hitch involving no casualties. Not to mention ignorant children who look up to Abby. They might think of the teenager sailor as a role model and want to be just like her. When they grow up they want to sail around, just like Abby. As stated in Joanna Weiss’s article, the Netherlands just stopped a girl from attempted her own circumnavigation attempt. This girl was only thirteen. Abby’s attempt may have been described as the ‘trip of a lifetime’, but really, it’s an example to other kids. They see how Abby Sunderland tried to sail around the world after training very vigorously and heroically defending herself from the storm she encountered. What they don’t see is danger and risk. Abby Sunderland didn’t realize that by sailing around the world she not only put herself at risk, but others