Abby Sunderland Missing

[themilesfamily]

Besides the reality show that the father has arranged, and the $130,000 in donations they're trying to raise via the website to have the boat towed home...the article also mentioned:

"The family is still collecting money through the online sale of some 30 lines of merchandise, from shoes to stickers and signed posters."

The dad also said he'd be willing to send his 16-year old back out to try it again.

 

[CandyMandy]

The stench around the Sunderlands is now growing by the hour:

"Father of teen sailor Abby Sunderland says he's broke and had signed a contract to do a reality show, "Adventures in Sunderland," about his family of daredevil kids weeks before his daughter set off on her doomed and dangerous solo sail around the globe."

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/06/14/sailor-abby-sunderlands-dad-signed-reality-doomed-voyage/?test=faces

At the rate they're going, The Sunderlands may well end up looking even worse than the "Balloon Boy" crew. I'm astounded some people here are still regailing them and even implying Abby should become the next "American Girl" character.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

I'm astounded some people here are still regailing them and even implying Abby should become the next "American Girl" character.

I'm not sure who is regaling the Sunderlands, but I will say that I don't judge people based on the sins of their father. I still stand by my take that Abby is extremely brave and I hope she continues to try and reach for the stars...or oceans in this instance.

 

[cheermom1]

Yes, you did miss something. She was picked up by a French fishing boat Saturday morning (well, Friday morning WDW time). They had to leave her boat behind though.

She is ok though right? she is a live? please tell me she is.

 

[DisTeach1]

Wow...this puts things in perspective. We went away overnight this weekend, and left our almost 17 year old son alone for the first time. We probably called and texted him 5 times during the time we were away.

Her parents sound arrogant and entitled. If I put my kid on a boat, I would expect to pay for any and all costs associated with that decision.

The Mom thinks America can pay for it...Well, hasn't she read? We have an oil spill to contend with...

 

[Scurvy]

Yes cheermom1 she is okay, thankfully!

I've stayed out of the who-should-pay conversation, but this rubs me the wrong way.

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/abby-sunderland-s-mom-u-s-taxpayers-should-pay-for-rescue

"The family of Abby Sunderland will not be reimbursing Australia for the $300,000 cost of finding her in the middle of the Indian Ocean. In fact, Abby's mother suggested American taxpayers should foot the bill.

"We're not wealthy people," MaryAnne Sunderland said.

She added that if Australia really wanted it's money back, it should place a call to Washington, D.C. "The full cost of chartering an Airbus would be so high, you'd think they would have to work with the US government for that," she tells Australia's Courier-Mail."

Oh, that is incredibly tacky! I think those parents are complete idiots. They chose to allow their monor child to undertake something extremely dangerous, and they should have been prepared to cover all the possible expenses involved.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

What a scam. Sadly, Toad, when parents feel entitled and are willing to sell out, the kids are usually affected with the same problems. That doesn't mean she isn't a nice girl, or talented or anything else. Just that she felt that others should pay for her adventures, etc.

Reaching for the ocean is nice. It would be cool if every kid could have others foot the bill for their dreams, but I don't see like working like that, and I don't teach my kids that. If they want to do something they earn the money to do so. Sometimes it takes a year or two but they do it. Begging from others or selling themselves is not considered an option here.

 

[themilesfamily]

They're reporting on the cable news networks that one of Abby's original sponsors, a sailing club, backed out because they felt she wasn't qualified to attempt this and they said that Abby confided in one of their members that her father was making her do it.

That's according to cable news...

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

They're reporting on the cable news networks that one of Abby's original sponsors, a sailing club, backed out because they felt she wasn't qualified to attempt this and they said that Abby confided in one of their members that her father was making her do it.

That's according to cable news...

I so hope that isn't the case. It would just break my heart if that young lady dealt with 30 foot waves without really desiring to be there.

 

[dumboiu]

I've stayed out of the who-should-pay conversation, but this rubs me the wrong way.

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/abby-sunderland-s-mom-u-s-taxpayers-should-pay-for-rescue

"The family of Abby Sunderland will not be reimbursing Australia for the $300,000 cost of finding her in the middle of the Indian Ocean. In fact, Abby's mother suggested American taxpayers should foot the bill.

"We're not wealthy people," MaryAnne Sunderland said.

She added that if Australia really wanted it's money back, it should place a call to Washington, D.C. "The full cost of chartering an Airbus would be so high, you'd think they would have to work with the US government for that," she tells Australia's Courier-Mail."

OMG.......there are no words. (actually, there are a lot of words, it is just that none of them are appropriate for the DIS).

 

[Disneyrsh]

.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

just google her name.



This comes as absolutely no surprise to me. I'm acquainted with several parents who are already pressuring their children to become doctors/lawyers/superheroes. The pressure comes early and often. I would not be surprised at all if Abby really has no idea who "she" is and what she wants, because everything she is is filtered through what her parents are creating her to be. Really really sad.



She doesn't even know what she wants. She's 16. Most normal, healthy 16 year olds do not have elaborate, death-defying schemes realized on the international stage without a lot of pushing.

Good for that company that pulled out of the sponsorship. Somebody needs to start saying "no" to these crackpots.

I know some pretty awesome 16 year olds who have known what they wanted at that age, and were striving towards the goal. If sailing was her entire hearts desire, and the love of it overwhelmed her, being in that position would be different than a child pushed and shoved.

I know a couple nasty pushy parents, too. They make me crazy. Heck they have even been convinced that having a baby who reads is something to strive for.