Man who attended a ceremony at sea falls off boat, rescued

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. - A special ceremony nearly turned deadly as four friends spent time off of the coast Monday.

In deep ocean waters just east of North Palm Beach, 62 year old Bud Jones of Hobe Sound fell off of a boat.

He was rescued and brought to the Riviera Beach marina.

Jones was helping his friend, Barry Kendrick of Palm Beach Gardens, spread Kendrick’s wife’s ashes at sea.

"I'm all right with that because I know he's going to be OK. He's been through a lot himself," said Kendrick.

Jones wasn't wearing a life jacket, so the driver of the boat had to act quickly.

"He (Jones) kind of panicked. He was there in 5 seconds," said Kendrick.

A life jacket was thrown to Jones and the Coast Guard was there in about 15 minutes according to Kendrick.

Jones is recovering at the V-A Medical Center in West Palm Beach.

Less than an hour before he fell from the boat, Jones helped Kendrick memorialize his late wife. Kendrick said, "We said prayers and I cried."

All four in the boat helped spread Kendrick's late wife's ashes. "It was what she would want and what we talked about, you know, years ago," said Kendrick.

Kendrick says his wife, Cynthia, passed away in December.

Before the frantic scene, he says the ceremony was great.

"This area around here meant a lot to us. A real lot," said Kendrick.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission is investigating this accident.  A spokeswoman said no charges are expected to be filed.