The story of Terry Jo Duperre — 11-year-old girl surviving in the open ocean

When a person is in a life-threatening situation is awful, but even worse when it happens to a child. 11-year-old American Terry Joe Dupere had to endure the tragedy that would lead to despair, the toughest guy. The child was the only survivor of the attack of the killer on her family and three days waiting for help in the open sea.

It all started with the fact that Terry's father — Arthur Duperre, decided to make his family a gift. A successful ophthalmologist from Wisconsin wanted to relax with his wife and three children in a warmer climate, or rather, in the Bahamas. For this family Duperre, together with friends, the couple and Julian Dean Harvey, rented in the port city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a small yacht.

Julian Harvey knew how to sail and in General was a strong man, a veteran of the Second world war, therefore, to lead a voyage instructed him. On the night of 8 November 1961 yacht with a bold name "Bluebelle" ("Blue beauty") out to sea. On Board were the couple Harvey, Arthur Duperre with his wife Jean and their three children: 14-year-old Brian, 11-year-old Terry and 7‑year-old Renee.

Five days were great, with great weather and blue sea gave travelers an unforgettable experience. But at night, from the fifth to the sixth day of rest nightmare began. Terry was woken by the screams of his brother coming from the deck, and rising out of the cabin, the girl saw her mother and brother lying in a pool of blood.

Terry was so shocked by this sight that she thought it was a bad dream. A girl went down to his cabin and climbed under the covers. After a time, she decided to go upstairs and met on the deck of Julian, who looked like a madman. The man pushed Terry so that it fell, and came down in a canoe tied behind. On the bottom of the boat lay the body of Dean, wife of a killer.

Without saying a word, Julian Harvey sailed away, and the girl was left alone. A moment later, she guessed why the killer didn't touch her — he cut the bottom and was sure that the girl will sink with the ship. But Terry remembered the briefing, held children before the departure of the father. She was found on the stern of the yacht tiny lifeboat and managed to get it into the water. Soon the boat sank and the girl was left alone in the middle of the sea.

Terry didn't have food and water and soon the girl began to thirsty and hungry. From the sky, ruthlessly thick of the sun and the body of a child, not a closed clothing, was quickly covered with burns. The girl was constantly sick, but worst of all was that she knew that the chances of accidentally stumble on a tiny life raft in the sea are very low, and especially to seek nobody will guess.

But Terry Duperre had to survive through 84 hours it picked up a Greek ship. The captain was surprised to see in the boat little girl, the situation was very unusual. As saved was very exhausted, the Greeks called the rescue helicopter and was taken to the hospital, where she spent 11 days.

Julian Harvey was also picked up by a merchant ship. He told everyone that the yacht was caught in a storm and capsized and he was able to pull out only the body of his wife. The rest of the passengers, he said, had gone to the bottom with "Bluebelle". The killer came back home, and even buried his wife, portraying grief and despair.

When the police came to the house of Harvey and told him that Terry has been found in the sea, he portrayed joy. Nevertheless, a scoundrel realized that this is the end and as soon as the child will be so strong that you will be able to speak, he was arrested and sent to the electric chair. Without waiting for his arrest, on November 16, 1961 Julian took a room in a hotel, got drunk and hung up.

Later, the police, investigating the murder, found that before the journey, Julian insured spouse from an accident for a large sum. During the voyage he drowned Dean, trying to stage an accident, but Arthur Duperre accidentally saw night massacre. The offender has decided to take extreme measures and killed the entire family, except Terry.

If the plan of Julian came true and the girl drowned with the boat, then, most likely, about the crime no one would know, but the killer just got their money and lived on happily ever after. But fate ordered so that he did not have to use blood money.

The story of Terry Jo Duperre the world learned thanks to the LIFE magazine cover was decorated with the just rescued girls. In 2010, writer Richard Logan wrote a book called "Orphaned at sea" on this terrible case. In his novel, the author not only told about the tragedy — a significant part of the book focuses on how she influenced the future life Terry Duperre.

Cases of miraculous rescue at sea happen sometimes, but usually such stories appear are adults.