It was a strange twist of fate that found two long-lost cousins reuniting halfway across the world. Danny Smith and Hasan Abdul-Mutakallim were serving in Naples, Italy when Raymond Smith, passed following a stroke and hospice care. The news sent both reeling. But then came a surprise…

Ronald McGinnis Sr. is stopped in a passageway by Destiny Muse. The conversation is passive until McGinnis says, "I’m leaving in December." She stops, choking on her words and responds, "Every time I get a mentor, ya'll leave." McGinnis replies, "I'll still be here. We have Wi-Fi on board now. When you need me, call me. I'll always be here…”

The bleating of a poorly-timed collision alarm, the shaking of a steel rack, the nightmares of lost shipmates – for the crew of guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), what was supposed to be a routine strait transit became 11 hours of hell, 30 days of loss, and years of attempting to reclaim stability.