Splashnews.com, AP

Abby has a lot to be thankful for! Not only was she rescued at sea, but now she also has a new little brother!

Abby Sunderland is a big sister again! Her parents, Marianne and Laurence Sunderland, welcomed their eighth child June 29 — a boy named Paul-Louis Sunderland! The healthy new addition to the Sunderland clan arrived while Abby, 16, was at a press conference in Marina del Rey, Calif.

Abby’s baby brother, who was born 8 lbs., 9 oz, was named after the French fishing boat captain who saved her, Paul Louis Le Moigne. Paul spent 30 hours on his boat, Ile de la Reunion, trying to find Abby while she was stranded on her 40-ft. sailboat in the Indian Ocean.

We’re so happy that Abby is safe and was able to share the joys of having a new baby brother!

— Chloe Melas

Read More On Abby Sunderland Here:

1. Abby Sunderland Speaks Out After Rescue: ‘I Was Terrified, But I Never Thought I’d Die’!
2. Breaking! Abby Sunderland’s Mom Is In Labor & Missed Her Daughter’s Big Press Conference!
3. Breaking News: 16-Year-Old Abby Sunderland Safe On Land And Defending Her Parents!
4. Breaking News: Sailor Abby Sunderland Finally Arriving On Land Tonight!

Abby’s parents missed her first press conference since arriving back home, but this time it wasn’t because of neglect!

Abby Sunderland‘s dad, Laurence, has been under fire for letting his 16-year-old daughter attempt to sail around the globe by herself — but today, June 29, the world’s most unpopular father missed his girl’s press conference at their home in Thousand Oaks, Calif. for a legitimate reason…his wife, Marianne, went into labor with their eighth child.

Before Abby, 16, began speaking at the conference, it was announced that her mom had gone into labor with their baby, a son they are naming Paul, after the captain of the ship who saved Abby when her sailboat capsized in the Indian Ocean. Abby has a 17-year-old brother named Zac and now six younger siblings.

Congrats, Sunderlands — pretty soon you won’t need to sail around the world for a reality show…you can just have one about your gigantic family!

Kirstin Benson

Click here for on Abby Sunderland

1. Abby Sunderland Speaks Out After Rescue: ‘I Was Scared, But I Never Thought I’d Die’!
2. BREAKING NEWS: 16-Year-Old Abby Sunderland Safe On Land And Defending Her Parents!
3. Breaking News: Sailor Abby Sunderland Finally Arriving On Land Tonight!

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HOLLYWOODLIFE.COM EXCLUSIVE: Abby Sunderland Forced To Go On Dangerous Boat Trip Or Lose Sponsor!

HollywoodLife.com has learned that 16-year-old sailor Abby Sunderland was forced to leave her home port of Marina del Rey, Calif., on Jan. 23 even though it would mean she’d be heading into the most dangerous time to sail in the Southern Hemisphere’s Indian Ocean, or else she would have lost a major sponsor. “There was a time crunch. She had to leave by Jan. 31,” reveals Ted Caloroso, the cinematographer who was working with the Sunderland family in their quest to sell a reality show.

Caloroso claims that there were problems with Abby’s boat that required her to stop for repairs in Cabo San Lucas from Feb. 2 to 6, and that it was in Cabo San Lucas that he became concerned that Abby’s father,Laurence, was “cutting corners” in dangerous ways.

“He didn’t seem to have properly estimated how much fuel she would need and he was buying extra fuel and putting it in paint drums and putting them around the boat. I told him that wasn’t safe and convinced him to get proper fuel containers,” says Caloroso.

Caloroso also says that it was because of safety issues like this that he decided to pull out of the Adventures in Sunderland reality show project that he had been working on. He also tells HollywoodLife.com that he felt that Abby’s solo sail trip was more dangerous than her older brother Zac’s, because it was non-stop (Zac’s wasn’t) and she had to go around Cape Horn on the southernmost tip of South America — known as “The Sailors Graveyard” — whereas Zac went through the Panama Canal.

“Her father Laurence wanted her to go around all five capes. I really began to fear she might die,” Caloroso told HollywoodLife.com.

Coloroso’s safety concerns convinced the highly respected TV production company, Reveille, to whom he had brought the project, to pull out as well. A source close to Reveille confirmed that they were working on the project and had received network interest for the show, but backed out of the project once they were informed by Caloroso that Abby’s trip might be unsafe.

Abby’s father Laurence claimed that he cut ties with Caloroso’s company, Magnetic Entertainment, because “they were assuming Abigail was going to die out there. They were relying on her dying, and so we cut ties.”

Caloroso is apoplectic about this claim: “It’s a lie!”

Now, Abby’s mother Marianna, has posted on Abby’s blog, “There is no reality TV show or documentary in the works and we will not be pursuing one.” However, Ted Caloroso confirmed to us that Abby had video cameras on board to do testimonials. She did do some on her voyage from Cabo San Lucas to Cape Horn and they probably still exist. Videos done after she left Cape Town, South Africa, were left on board her boat, Wild Eyes, which she abandoned.

Furthermore, we’ve learned that the Sunderland parents actively pursued movie and book deals for their son Zac, after he returned successfully from his trip. “I made intros for Laurence in Hollywood, and yes there was interest in Zac’s story from major movie producers and a top literary agent,” says a source. “But, we parted ways.”

Zac is represented by highly respected literary agent David Kuhn, in New York City, HollywoodLife.com has confirmed.

So why did both teens embark on such ambitious missions? “I feel like the kids don’t get much exposure to the outside world,” says a source who has spent a lot of time with the Sunderland family. “The family is not very well-off financially and the kids are home-schooled and stuck in the house with five younger siblings, so any opportunity to get out for a long period of time is appealing. And they have an avid interest in sailing. They’ve lived on boats and loved it.”

But was that a good enough reason for Abby to embark on a “nonstop” solo sailing trip around the globe at a time of year when she would face a higher likelihood of dangerous storms in the South Indian Ocean, then at another time of the year?

NY1 news channels Chief Meteorologist John Devitt confirmed that Abby “was rolling the dice,” by sailing in the Indian Ocean at that time.

“It was a risky decision — at the very edge of the envelope to do that because of weather concerns — but a calculated risk,” agrees George Day, owner and publisher of Blue Water Sailing magazine.

Here’s the key question once again: Was Laurence Sunderland willing to take a calculated risk on his daughter’s life in order to get a reality show, a potential movie or book deal, or any other financial gain?

He denied it to us, but we aren’t so sure.

—Bonnie Fuller

Click here to view the embedded video.

Splashnews.com

The shell-shocked Sunderland dad tells us he wishes that drama caused from reports he was exploiting his daughter would stop – and that Abby is doing well. Her brother, Zac, agrees

Laurence Sunderland is fighting back against claims that he was exploiting his teenage daughter Abby’s around-the-world trip for the purposes of a reality show. In an exclusive interview, both he and his 18-year-old son, Zac, told HollywoodLife.com that Abby is fine, their family is surviving and that Laurence would NEVER sell out his children.

“I would never even BEGIN to harm any of my kids,” Laurence told us at his Thousand Oaks, Calif. home June 15 in response to said exploitation claims, adding that the horrific things being said about him are “not at all” true.

The most important thing, says Laurence, is that his 16-year-old daughter, who was stranded in the Indian Ocean after her boat was damaged in a storm, is alive and well. “I’m just glad she’s alright,” he said, even revealing that she “doesn’t plan on another [voyage] any time soon, but she’ll be on boat again.” He refused to comment as to whether she had finally come home.

Above all, Laurence says he knows that his family will survive this scandal. “It is really weird to be ridiculed over this, but we are a strong family,” he confided, allowing that he, wife Marianne, and his other six children are getting through the drama “so far”, adding, “It’s scary, you know what I mean? I would like for this all just to be over.”

As for Adventures in Sunderland, the reality show he pitched then swore he cut ties with after coming under harsh criticism from the media ? “I can’t really talk about that with anyone,” Laurence said.

Abby’s 18-year-old brother, Zac (who, at the age of 17, became the youngest person ever to complete the same voyage Abby had attempted) agreed that his sister is doing well, telling us, “She’s fine” but dismissed the bad dad reports, including that Laurence was “cutting corners” by having his slightly less-seasoned sailor sister attempt the same trip he had taken. “My dad’s cool!” he stated.

At least Laurence has his son’s support – but he says there are others out there who believe he isn’t a bad person. “Thank you to everyone who has seen us through this,” he said. “We appreciate the supporters.”

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But sitting around on the Ile de Reunion, she’s already blogging excuses for her parents sending her out on her dangerous mission to be the youngest person ever to sail non-stop around the globe. “There are plenty of things people can think of to blame my situation; my age, the time of years and many more,” she wrote in her blog, Abby’s Blog. “The truth is, I was in a storm and you don’t sail through the Indian Ocean without getting in at least one storm. It wasn’t the time of year it was just a southern ocean storm. Storms are part of the deal when you set out to sail around the world.”

No doubt Abby feels guilty that her parents, Laurence and Marianne, have been taking heat for allowing and enabling her to set out on a 40 ft. sailboat alone, especially since her father told the New York Post that he had signed a contract to do a reality show based on her and her six young siblings’ adventures. Her father only backtracked on the upcoming reality show after being smacked by a storm of criticism that he had put Abby in danger in order to keep financial rewards.

I believe Abby’s trying to protect her parents by actually misrepresenting the facts. NY1 news channel’s chief meteorologist John Davitt confirmed to me, “This time of winter (in the southern hemisphere, where she was) is historically known as a time when it is not uncommon to run into big storms. She wasn’t being foolhardy but she was rolling the dice.” He pointed out that the chances of having good weather are greater in the summer. In the summer, there can be cyclones but you can see them days ahead and plot a course around them.”

Abby has also protectively defended her parents in a new interview given to the Associated Press.

“I think a lot of people are judging me by the standards they have for their teens,” she said. “They don’t understand that I’ve sailed my whole life and I do know what I’m doing out there.” She adds that “people don’t know me, and if they did wouldn’t be criticizing my age.”

Well, you know what, Abby — you are clearly an impressive and mature 16-year-old, but you still have a 16-year-old brain that is biologically immature. The brain is only about 80 percent developed in adolescents, according to Harvard Magazine. At age 16, it has been well documented that teenagers are primed to be more likely to take risks, overestimate short-term payoffs and underplay long-term consequences, according to a report by The Mentor Foundation, which promotes health and well-being among young people.

“Teenagers feel they are indestructable, they don’t weigh risks like adults,” points out family therapist, Dr. Jeffrey Gardere, host of VH1′s Dad Camp.

That means that while we do not know Abby personally, it’s highly likely that part of her self-confidence stems from her youthful belief in her own infallibility.

That’s exactly why parents are supposed to keep their daughters from taking risks which are just too great — not encourage them to leap in, after talking with a TV production company, to do a reality show.

I believe that like many children, Abby was raised, even brainwashed, into believing that she could do anything she set her mind to.

That form of parental brainwashing can be a positive force, when it takes the form of telling your daughter she can be a doctor.

It’s a negative force, however, when it’s used to convince your immature 16-year-old daughter to put herself in a sailboat alone in the middle of the Indian Ocean at the stormiest and most dangerous — yes, dangerous — time of the year.

— Bonnie Fuller

Click here to view the embedded video.

BFFs, We asked YOU, our readers, your thoughts on Abby Sunderland’s journey and you are outraged with how her parents are handling the situation!

We’ve been giving you the lastest news on Abby Sunderland, 16, who attempted to be the youngest girl to sail around the world. But ever since her boat tipped and word that her dad, Laurence Sunderland, is going to capitalize off her near-tragedy with a reality show — our readers have gone crazy! Everyone is so upset that her dad is going forward with this new reality TV show, Adventures in Sunderland! Depsite new developments, you are saying her parents are still to blame!

In our recent polls, a majority of you voted “no, 16-year-olds have no business sailing the globe alone,” and that Abby is even the next “balloon girl!”

Here’s what you had to say:

• Anastasia : “It’s her parents who are stupid for letting their son and daughter go on these solo boat trips. They’ve dodged a bullet as their children are still alive. When they’re adults, that’s a different story. They can decide then if they want to risk the dangers.”
• Jacqui K. : “The parents should be ashamed for pimping their kids because Pappa Dearesr can not get his life together. Maybe he should find another means to take care of his family, get a real job…”
• Tanya: “I don’t think she should have been allowed to sail around the world herself, until she is a little older. She was lucky this time and I am very glad that she is alright. I applaud her for her bravery, but I it was not to bright to go off by herself like that. I don’t care how much experience a person in this field has, nobody should be out there alone.”
• Gbtw: “I honestly don’t get this. i know they’re a family of boat people and such, and their son already did this, but i still can’t see letting your 16 year old go out and do such a dangerous thing all just to set some record. i read some experienced sailor saying that the very idea of anyone trying to go through the indian ocean at this time of year was ludicrous. if i were a sailor maybe i’d get it more, but as a non-sailor, i just feel very confused and ‘what am i missing?’ about this story and her parents encouraging or even just letting her do this.”

- Nicole Karlis

AP (3)

Are you as NOT surprised as I am by the latest news this morning that the 16 year-old sailor’s dad was shopping a reality show?

UPDATE: Abby Sunderland’s dad, Laurence Sunderland, said he cut all ties with the production company producing Abby’s reality show because they wanted to go in a different direction than his family wanted. “There is no show at this time, nor will there be,” he told reporters June 14, explaining he originally thought the show could highlight children doing great things.

Abby Sunderland‘s father, Laurence Sunderland, has signed a contract to do a reality show called Adventures in Sunderland, about his family of “daredevil” kids, he revealed to  the New York Post.

He also admitted that he’s broke, has 7 kids, another on the way and that “the show might be about family, it might be about Abigail’s trip. It’s something that was shopped around,” he said.

Now, are you shocked? Angry? Was 16-year-old Abby sent off on a dangerous global sailing voyage at the most dangerous stormiest time of the year in the Indian and South Pacific Oceans — as I’ve previously reported — just so her dad could score a TV show?

Abby ran into serious danger in a remote part of the Indian Ocean after days of stormy weather. Her mast broke, she lost satellite communications, and she was alone adrift.

Fortunately after a frantic international rescue effort, Abby was located by an Australian plane on Friday and finally picked up by a French sailing vessel, Ile de la Reunion, late Sat.

So the question now is — did she truly decide on her own to pursue her passionate dream of breaking the world record for youngest non-stop global sailing trip or was she influenced to undertake a highly dangerous exploit as a stunt to get her dad a TV show deal?

Is she really just an older version of Ballon Boy, 6-year-old, Falcon Heene?

Is 16 actually mature enough to NOT be influenced by a fame-craving parent? In fact her father told the NY Post, “we thought it might be a good idea if it was encouraging kids to get out and do things.”

Uh, like risk their lives, Laurence Sunderland. While Sunderland, who is a sailing instructor, insists the reality show was “the last thing on his mind,” when Abby set sail from Southern California in January — the family lives just outside of LA — a company called Magnetic Entertainment of City, Calif is already promoting Adventures in Sunderland, and Abby’s Journey, a documentary on it’s website.

You have to wonder also if Abby 16, and her older brother Zac, 18, who luckily successfully completed a similar voyage last year — feel a responsibility to help support all their younger siblings?

For all we know, Abby has been video taping herself for the show, for the entire voyage.

Meanwhile, she’s blogging from her rescue ship. “Everyone on board has been really friendly. They have come a long way out of their way to help me and I’m so thankful…”

She calls her voyage, “the best thing I have ever done or been through.” But you have to wonder now — is Abby writing this or doing any of this sincerely? Or is it all still a play for Adventures in Sunderland?

How sad that her fathers actions call into question the purity of her own motives?

It will all be hard to find the truth for some time. Abby will be on her current rescue ship for about a week, before being transferred to another boat on the remote island of Kerguelen. From there, that boat will take her for 10 days to an island near Madagascar. “From there I will eventually make it home,” she blogs.

Think about it — even this. She’s a 16-year-old girl alone in almost the farthest, most remote part of the world and has to find a way home safely, by herself.

Is that what you’d want for your sister or daughter?

–Bonnie Fuller