Book optioned for movie

“Bernie had e-mailed me and said something like ‘Give the boat a kiss for me, I won’t be around to see it,’ ’’ Tougias said. “A day and a half later, he died of a heart attack. He was in perfect health.’’

Sherman grew up on Cape Cod, but had never heard about the dramatic rescue until someone told him the story when he was in Chatham for a book signing for “A Rose for Mary: The Hunt for the Real Boston Strangler,’’ which he wrote about his aunt, the strangler’s last victim.

“When I started doing research, someone asked if I knew that Michael was writing a book on it, too,’’ Sherman said. “So I contacted him and said, ‘Well, we can do two competing books or the best one we can together on this incredible rescue.’ ’’

Sherman said he was approached by one of Webber’s tearful granddaughters at his memorial service. Sherman told her he’d gotten close to her grandfather, and he missed him, too.

“ ‘No,’ ’’ Sherman said the girl told him about the reason for her tears. “ ‘I just read your book. He never told me about that.’ ’’

“That’s how they were, that generation,’’ said Tougias, who has written other books about sea rescues. “They had a job to do and never talked about it.’’

Both authors know there is no guarantee the movie will be made. But given the heavy hitters who got “The Fighter’’ produced, Sherman said the chances are favorable that filming could begin by next summer.

“It’s too good a story not to be made,’’ he said. “It has all the elements Hollywood is looking for, that people are looking for.’’

UNSUNG HEROINES: Three women from the South Shore were recognized as Unsung Heroines of 2011 by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, which annually honors 100 women across the state who make their communities better places to live.