john aldridge was safe. >> the pilot put his adviser back andoo live.i've got a lot of people who love me to die like that. he goes, man, you're one tough dude. we don't find live people. we find bodies. >> reporter: after the rescue, john didn't sigh bob hoefy again until we brought them together on the dock in montauk. >> good to see you, man. good to see you. >> wow. when i approached him in the water, i told him how long we've been looking for him. >> he said holy cow, we've been looking for you for nine hours today. and i said i've been looking for you for 12. >> reporter: today they use the aldridge rescue as a teaching tool. nice when if goes right. >> nice when it all works out. kathy how are you? >> hi. >> reporter: john's sister kathy was also there when we brought the two together. >> thank you so much for saving >> you're very welcome. >> reporter: john aldridge's ordeal and miraculous outcome have turned into a new book, a movie deal and a lot of treasured souvenirs. >> this is the actual handle that snapped that anthony found on the back o

. >> reporter: john aldridge and anthony sasinski, best buddies since second grade, are co-owners ofmary, a 44-foot fishing boat. they've pulled up lobsters and crabs off the sea floor off the coast of montauk. >> we've got food, fuel, the boat's running right. we're off on another adventure. >> reporter: but these two lobster men could have done without a little less adventure one july evening four years ago. 40 miles offshore at 2:30 in the morning, anthony asleep below deck. john wanted to fill the tanks where they would soon store their catch. >> and i had to move the cooler off the hatch. >> reporter: a 125-pound cooler sat on top of the tank's hatch. john picked up a metal hook to move it. >> and i put it in the handle here and pulled with all my might and when i did it just snapped and pushed me right out the back of the boat. >> reporter: the boat was on automatic pilot, and john, wearing no life vest, watched helplessly as the anna mary boated away. >> i could see the boat, but then it comes down in the wave, and i couldn't see the boat, comes up on the crest and you see it