What do you do after your daughter tries to set the record for being the youngest person to complete a solo voyage around the wo
rld, gets caught in a storm, is missing and then after 3 agonizing days lost at sea finally gets rescued? Why, have the whole family star in a reality show of course!
Abby Sunderland’s father has just signed a deal with Magnetic Entertainment to create a reality show about his family. The show, called “Adventures in Sunderland,” will “follow the family in their day-to-day lives as shipbuilder Laurence Sunderland and mother/teacher Marianne try to balance work and family,” according to Magnetic Entertainment’s website. The New York Post reports that this deal was made after Abby set out on her round-the-world journey. The reality T.V. camera crew was reportedly filming in the Sunderland home four months ago.
Magnetic Entertainment will also create a documentary about Abby and her desire to fulfill her dream of being the world’s youngest solo-circumnavigator. However, her father insists that her daring sea voyage was not for publicity – setting the record has been her dream since she was 13 years old.
The Sunderland family is already somewhat of a curiosity in their community. Their 7 children are homeschooled, and neighbours report that the family rarely leaves the house or interacts with people in their community. As for their reality show, Laurence Sunderland hopes it will “…encourage kids to get out there and do things.”
