John and Meghan Scimone, who survived the 2012 Costa Concordia disaster with their 14-month-old daughter Lilah, share their harrowing story in the new Netflix documentary 'Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea'. The film, now streaming, chronicles the worst maritime disaster since the Titanic, which claimed 32 lives after the luxury cruise liner collided with a rock off the Italian island of Giglio.
The Night the Ship Sank
The Scimones were enjoying a family holiday when, during Lilah's bedtime routine, they felt unusual vibrations. As they grabbed their crying daughter and rushed to the deck, the ship lost power. In darkness, they donned life jackets only to find no lifeboats on their side. As the vessel tilted, the corridor became a slide, and they slid down—Lilah suffering a severe blow to the head.
After dropping into the water, Meghan desperately tried to hand Lilah to a woman on a lifeboat, but the woman shook her head. Eventually, a lifeboat captain rescued them.
Aftermath and PTSD
John said: 'When we got home, I was completely broken. I was diagnosed with PTSD, I had panic attacks. I had nightmares.' He broke down in tears in the documentary, thanking God his family survived. A crew member told him: 'John, she survived because of you.' John replied: 'I just fought so hard that night to save them. There were times when I thought we weren't going to get off. But I'm so glad we did.'
A Miraculous Pregnancy
After returning home, the couple discovered Meghan was pregnant. Her scan suggested the date of conception was the same as the disaster, though medically impossible. John joked: 'Now you know why I didn't have time to put my shirt on!' Meghan called the pregnancy 'one of the greatest gifts I could've been given.'
Despite their ordeal, Lilah grew up normally. John said: 'Lilah is the most well-rounded, grounded, incredible 15-year-old. And she's the most beautiful ballerina.'
