What it means to keep going: Nick Schuyler on Loss, Resilience, and Life After
Nick Schuyler is a longtime local gym owner, youth sports coach, husband, and father of two. A former University of South Florida football player, Schuyler brings a high-level athletic background and leadership mindset to all his roles.
Schuyler is also the sole survivor of a 2009 boating tragedy, in the Gulf of Mexico, that claimed the lives of his three closest friends. His story was first shared in the bestselling book ”Not Without Hope“, co-written with journalist Jere Longman.
In April 2025, the documentary ”Four Down” premiered at the Sunscreen Film Festival in St. Petersburg, offering a firsthand look at the tragedy and rescue.
The feature film ”Not Without Hope” debuted at the Austin Film Festival and hit theaters in December 2025—dramatizing his harrowing 43-hour survival at sea.
As a Tampa Bay parent raising young children, Schuyler reflects on how that life-altering experience shapes the way he approaches parenting, resilience, and the fleeting nature of time.
TBPM: You’re a busy dad juggling work, coaching, and parenting. Tell us about your family.
NS: It’s a full schedule. My wife, Paula, and I have two amazing kids. Our daughter, Camryn, is three and a half and she kind of runs the world right now. Camryn and Paula have a special bond.
Our son, Dylan, is eight and a half. He’s super sweet and kind, and I’m enjoying the opportunity to coach youth sports, like flag football, for Dylan and his buddies. Our children are our pride and joy.
TBPM: Does Dylan know about the accident?
NS: While he’s young and not able to fully comprehend the accident, he knows about it. My friends, Will Bleakley, Marques Cooper, and Corey Smith, did not survive the accident. Will’s jersey is framed in Dylan’s room.
Though Dylan asks questions and we engage in age-appropriate conversations, we’re not ready for him to see the film or read the book. It’s heavy and I’m his dad. We want to be mindful of that.
TBPM: How has becoming a parent changed your perspective on what you went through?
NS: Becoming a parent has changed my perspective on so many things. I have a much clearer understanding of what really matters and of what people go through. I think about my friends who passed and what their parents endured.
A person can try imagining that loss, but it’s an entirely different experience once you have children of your own.
I truly believe God gave me another opportunity, and I want to make the best of it in real, meaningful ways. I don’t feel like I live with PTSD. Rather, I feel fortunate.
TBPM: Does what you went through affect how you approach day-to-day parenting?
NS: I don’t know if it’s specifically the accident, but Paula and I are a great team. Given how intense kids’ schedules are these days, we try to step back and appreciate the seemingly ordinary moments.
I played thousands of games growing up, and I only remember a few. What I remember most fondly are the family trips we took and the shared experiences. I know full well how fast time moves. We work hard to protect our family time.
TBPM: If a family watches your story, what conversations do you hope it sparks?
NS: That life can change in a blink. That moments can’t be taken for granted. I don’t want people living in fear, but I do want families to talk about the importance of gratitude, the value of responsibility, and the impact of good choices.
TBPM: Together, you and Paula built Sky Athletix. What has that experience been like?
NS: Owning my own training facility was a longtime goal and, knowing time moves quickly, I built the courage to take the leap. Sky Athletix, located in Lutz, is now in its eleventh year.
Whether someone is with us for a month, a year, or a decade, it’s the relationships that make the work especially rewarding. We don’t necessarily realize the impact we’re having on other people until we take a conscious step back to see it.
Business ownership comes with a demanding schedule—some days I am up at 4 A.M. and not home until 8 P.M. At the same time, I have flexibility and that is something I value as a parent. I can break away from the gym, do things at home, and coach Dylan’s flag football team.
TBPM: What do you think helps kids build resilience and grit?
NS: Kids need to do things. They need responsibility. Kids need to understand that showing up is a choice. Effort is a choice. Kids can’t build resilience without a little struggle. Opportunities to slow things down, make mistakes, and figure things out, independently, are imperative.
Through lessons about accountability, teamwork, and discipline, sports can help, as lessons transcend the field and inform life skills.
Kids need chances to try, fail, and try again.
TBPM: If a child reading this is going through something difficult, what would you want them to know?
NS: You have to weather the storm. Tough times are hard, but they don’t last forever. Tough times make us stronger. You’re capable of so much more than you think.
How to watch and read Schuyler's story:
Motion Picture: Not Without Hope
Based on Nick Schuyler’s bestselling book of the same name, Not Without Hope dramatizes the 2009 boating tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico and Schuyler’s remarkable survival. The film stars Zachary Levi as Schuyler and Josh Duhamel as Coast Guard rescue swimmer Timothy Close.
Documentary: Four Down
Four Down, told through interviews and archival footage, offers a firsthand look at the events surrounding the boating accident and Schuyler’s rescue. The documentary has been praised for its honesty and emotional depth.
Book: Not Without Hope
Co-written with journalist Jere Longman, Not Without Hope chronicles the true story of survival, friendship, and faith following the 2009 boating tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico. The book offers deeper insight into the men involved, the rescue, and the aftermath that shaped Schuyler’s life.
Sky Athletix
Founded by Nick Schuyler and his wife, Paula, Sky Athletix is a Tampa Bay–area training facility offering youth programs, personal training, and small-group fitness and emphasizes accountability, effort, and community.
*Originally published in the March 2026 issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine. Family photo at the top of the story by Elizabeth Dugan Photography.