Tressel Hawkins would prefer to be in Markham, Texas. But, he is just happy to be on solid ground. You see, the change of perspective he is talking about took place after he was rescued from a boat stranded on the gulf for more than a week.

Along with his friends, James Phillips and Curtis Hall, Hawkins was reported missing August 22nd after he left Matagorda on a fishing trip and never returned.  After scouring 86,000 miles in the gulf, the Coast Guard called off its search.  But, loved ones say, they never gave up hope.

Tressel's mother, Doris Hawkins said, " They came that morning.  My sister, who is an evangelist, she got up and said, 'when the Coast Guard comes to talk to us today, no matter what they say, we're not going to accept it.  God has already said He is on our side.'"

Tressel Hawkins said, "I felt like we were going to be rescued, i just did not know how we were going to endure it. From that time, we really talked to God a lot."

With a weary, sunburned body, legs covered in wounds created by the sting of jelly fish, Tressel Hawkins began to appreciate the things we all take for granted.  He said, "

Instead of asking God what we need or what we are begging for, why don't we just thank him for the breath that we have in our bodies."

A day after the search was called off, Eddie Yaklin spotted the three men off Port Aransas, 180 miles from land sitting atop their overturned catamaran.

"He said, you guys have been lost for 8 days," Hawkins said.  "We were like, yeah, we know that! It was like a slap in the face. Your awake now.  This is real.  You're going to be rescued."

Doris Hawkins remembers when she got the news.  She says, "The Coast Guard called my daughter and we just had a rejoicing time in the front yard.  It was like having a revival.  We were so happy, we were just thanking God for the miracle."

After surviving for eight days on a small ration of crackers, potato chips and bubble gum, Hawkins is certainly ready for Thanksgiving.  "I am just gonna sit back and eat.  Eat, and hug and kiss my family. I just want to be with them.  This is a second chance at life i just have to be thankful for."