If you’re searching for proof that miracles are real then look no further than 7-year-old Julian Hohnen.

This little boy was with his father, Maike Hohnen, on a fishing trip alongside family friend Stephen Jeacocke off the coast of Queensland when their trip turned deadly.

When it sank to temperatures around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the ship was about 8 miles away from land.

While this may not seem very cold, spending extended time in water can still lead to severe circumstances as the body struggles to maintain heat.

While the group was able to send a distress signal, a few moments later their ship sank. The group was plunged into the cold water, forcing them to tread for six hours.

When the ship started sinking, none of the three had been wearing life jackets.

“They had the safety gear on board but unfortunately, sort of in the time that they realized the boat was taking on water to it actually sinking, was only a matter of less than a minute,” Kyle Banks with the Sunshine Coast water police told 7News.

Staying alive wasn’t easy with a young child.

The two older men, clutching debris, did all they could to keep the 7-year-old floating overnight until they were rescued. When the group was spotted from an anchored tanker, a rescue team jumped into action.

All three were diagnosed with hypothermia after being airlifted into a helicopter and flew to a neighboring hospital. The child was put in an induced coma in an attempt to save Julian’s life.

“It’s always a delicate operation when you’re winching a patient that’s potentially suffering from hypothermia,” Kristy MacAlister of the Queensland Ambulance Service told News.com.au. “As you winch them out of the water, the wind temperature can also decrease the body temperature further.”

Although the situation seemed grim, when the child opened his eyes on Monday, Julian’s family was exuberant. He survived, against all odds, what could easily have been a deadly event.

“It’s very fortunate that the three people were found when they were,” MacAlister said. “They had been in the water for several hours, and they’re all very lucky.”

The little boy is currently in stable condition, and his father and Jeacocke also appear to be recovering well, according to 7News.

“I’m the luckiest man alive, I’ve got a beautiful son, who puts a smile on my face everyday!” Maike Hohnen wrote on Facebook.