Ten Degrees of Reckoning

by Jessica Harrison on 28 Feb 2009 Heartbreaking is perhaps one of the most overused words in the English language, but in the case of the Sleavin family, few other words could describe their experience.

In November 1995, Judy Sleavin, her husband, Mike, and their two young children, 9-year-old Ben and 7-year-old Annie, were sailing off the coast of New Zealand when a merchant ship altered its course 10 degrees and rammed their 47-foot bluewater sailboat, the Melinda Lee.

Ben was instantly swept out to sea. A few minutes later, the Melinda Lee was at the bottom of the ocean. In a state of shock, Judy, Mike and Annie were able to cling to an upside down dingy. Hours later an enormous wave ripped Annie from her parents' arms. Judy could only watch as her daughter faded into the distance and her husband followed.

With a fractured skull, a back broken in several places and paralysis below her waist, Judy spent 44 hours floating at sea. She was later found washed ashore on a remote New Zealand beach.

Judy and Mike had meticulously planned for every eventuality, storing extra supplies and making sure they had the most up-to-date equipment. The couple had years of sailing experience and were in regular communication with other boats. But all of their planning was for naught, leaving Judy feeling helpless and alone.

Three years earlier, the Sleavins had set out on an around-the-world adventure. Ben and Annie were home-schooled, learning about cultures of the world as they experienced them. Along the way, the Sleavins set up a network of friends and contacts that couldn't help but be impressed with the family.

When news that the Melinda Lee was missing spread, those friends jumped into action, helping in the search and later in Judy's recovery process.

When Judy arrived at the hospital after the accident, she was hardly recognizable. She had bruises over most of her body, and her skin was raw from exposure to the elements. Judy's limbs were swollen and she was severely dehydrated. Where her skull had been fractured, her brain was injured, too, permanently compromising her visual recognition skills.

Doctors said Judy had one of the worst cases of post-traumatic stress disorder they'd ever seen. The smallest of things would trigger debilitating memories. But despite the pain, Judy kept moving forward.

The collision that night in 1995 and Judy's survival made headlines around the world. Overcome with grief, Judy never spoke to the press and turned down offers from filmmakers, journalists and authors, hoping that one day she would be ready to share her family's story.

Twelve years later, Judy turned to her best friend, Hester Rumberg, to help her put her tale to paper. Granted access to every legal document and investigative report, letters, e-mails and Judy's private journals, Rumberg was able to piece together Judy's painful memories.

Out of that process came 'Ten Degrees of Reckoning,' a thoughtful and cohesive account of what happened. Burdened with the job of explaining technical and nautical terms and maneuvers in layman's terms, Rumberg makes events accessible to the reader, keeping things simple while expanding on their scope of knowledge.

Through Rumberg, Judy's love for her family jumps off the page. Judy's passion and her dogged perseverance in bringing those responsible to justice are gripping and profound.

'TEN DEGREES OF RECKONING: The True Story of a Family's Love and the Will to Survive' by Hester Rumberg, published by Putnam, is just available in bookshops this week.

To learn more, or buy the book, click here