An Athens couple breathed a sigh of relief late Friday after finding out their grandson, who was aboard the USS Fitzgerald, was safe following a deadly collision.

Rita Schrimsher said she’s had better days, but her family is blessed that Jackson Schrimsher is alive. The 23-year-old seaman and Fire Controlman 2^nd class has served in the Navy for three years and has been on assignment in Japan for nearly a year.

“We’re not lucky, we’re blessed,” she said.

The USS Fitzgerald struck the Philippine-flagged ACX Crystal container ship off the coast of Yokosuka Japan at 2:20 a.m. Saturday (12:20 p.m. CST Friday) killing seven seamen.

“We knew which ship he was assigned to, but we didn’t know anything about the collision until we saw it on TV on the news,” Schrimsher said. “We didn’t talk to Jackson until he called his dad and then called us about 9 that night.”

Schrimsher said she and her husband Jack were able to see and speak to Jackson via Facetime, but not for long — only about 45 seconds — but it was enough for them to know he was safe.

Reports indicate when the ships collided, it impacted sleeping berths at a time when most aboard the ship were asleep.

Schrimsher said Jackson was near the area affected.

“He said the compartment flooded quickly,” she said, adding Jackson told them he was one of the last to get out before the hatch closed.

Right now, Jackson is ported in Japan with no time home scheduled.

“He’s not sure what’s going to happen for a while,” she said, adding he has two years left on his current assignment. “He doesn’t know if he’ll be assigned to another port.”

When Schrimsher spoke to her grandson after the crash, he told her he was going to try to get some sleep.

“He said in the morning, Tuesday for them, they are having a ceremony for those lost,” she said.

Two of the seven sailors killed worked with Jackson, Schrimsher said.

Although Schrimsher said she is ready to see her grandson, she knows the Navy will take care of him.

Schrimsher talks to Jackson about once a week while he’s in port, but once he’s on the ship, it could be weeks until she hears from him.

Schrimsher, a retired teacher from East Limestone High School, hopes the school will let her use the football field Sunday evening to host a candlelight vigil for those who died in the crash.

“(Jackson) made the comment that it would be nice if his town could do something to honor those on the ship who didn’t make it out,” she said, adding the parents of a sailor from Harvest are also invited.

Jackson is a 2012 graduate of East Limestone High School.