Life

Radio review: Jaw dropping story of the hero guitarist on a sinking ship

Nuala McCann

Nuala McCann

Nuala McCann is an Irish News columnist and writes a weekly radio review.

Nuala McCann
Nuala McCann Nuala McCann

Life Changing Radio 4

If you’re interested in jaw dropping stories then go no further than this series presented by Jane Garvey, formerly of Woman’s Hour – warm and straightforward.

Moss Hills was the guitarist on a Greek cruise ship off the South African coast in 1991. He and his wife Tracy were the entertainers.

It was a stormy night; the lights went out, the PA system failed and when none of the ship’s officers appeared to issue instructions, they both began to feel uneasy.

They had good reason. When Moss went to investigate, he found the ship was sinking.

“We found out that one lifeboat had already gone with a lot of the crew and senior officers on board,” he said.

Moss ended up making a Mayday call from the deck.

“What are your coordinates,” came the response. “What is your rank?”

“I’m not a rank, I’m a guitarist,” Moss said.

“Who’s on the bridge with you?”

“It’s me, my wife – the bass player and we’ve got a magician here.”

There was a stunned silence.

It’s a story that had a happy ending for the passengers.

Gilbert and Jane feature in a more recent episode. They met on a website - Natural Friends – matching up those who love the great outdoors.

At that time – the early years of the internet, it was quite radical to sign up and meet like that.

Gilbert’s Aunty Bonnie wrote his profile - his passion for opera and walking.

They had, said Jane, quite an Austen-style courtship – they corresponded for weeks by email. When Gilbert said he was excited because he had a pond in the garden and there were frogs, that clinched it … “Here’s the man for me!”.

They had many happy years, trekking mountains near home and those far away in America.

Their life changing moment came in 2009, when Gilbert was diagnosed with MS.

There is no cure and the couple were told they would have to live with it.

The neurologist said there was a strength in accepting that there was no help and not to keep chasing rainbows, said Jane.

It’s a story of love that is powerfully uplifting – spoiler alert: there’s an unmissable ‘top of the world ma’ moment.