SAINT-DENIS, Reunion – Californian sailor Abby Sunderland, 16, got a big hug from her older brother Saturday on the appropriately named Reunion Island, and again defended her family for letting her try to sail around the world alone.

Though saddened by the loss of her boat in an Indian Ocean storm, Sunderland said she isn’t giving up sailing.

Additional Photos

Abby and Zac Sunderland The Associated Press

Britain's Prince Harry, 25, throws out the ceremonial first pitch before a baseball game between the New York Mets and the Minnesota Twins on Saturday in New York. The prince threw with some zip to Mets catcher Rod Barajas. Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey gave Harry throwing advice before the game. Earlier the prince visited with UNICEF staff at the United Nations. The Associated Press

Robert Redford The Associated Press

“I’m really disappointed that things didn’t go as planned,” Sunderland told reporters after coming to shore early Saturday on the remote French island near southeastern Africa.

Massive waves snapped her boat’s mast June 10, and she was rescued in the southern Indian Ocean two days later by a French fishing boat. It took two weeks more at sea to reach Reunion, from which she plans to fly home today.

Her parents stayed in California, where her mother is soon to give birth to her eighth child.

“Any sailor that goes out to the water knows that being hit by a rogue wave is a risk, no matter where you are,” said Sunderland, flanked by her 18-year-old brother Zac, who flew to Reunion to meet her.

“You can’t eliminate risk, you can do a lot to minimize it but it’s always there,” Sunderland said.

Australia and France worked together to rescue the American teenager, and they footed the hefty bills for chartering jets to find her and diverting boats to her location. Both countries say they have no plans to seek compensation for the search and rescue operation.

Sunderland thanked everyone who helped in her rescue and acknowledged “the public debate about the cost of rescues.”

“I know that the USA would do the same for a citizen of any other country as these countries did for me,” she said.

Fawcett foundation launched

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Farrah Fawcett’s closest friends marked the first anniversary of her death by dedicating a cancer-research foundation in her name.

Alana Stewart and Ryan, Tatum and Redmond O’Neal were among guests at an intimate gathering Friday at the new offices of the Farrah Fawcett Foundation, which funds alternative cancer research and treatment methods and aims to improve the quality of life of those with the disease.

Fawcett, the “Charlie’s Angels” star who detailed her battle with anal cancer in the 2009 documentary, “Farrah’s Story,” died at 62 on June 25, 2009.

Stewart said Fawcett started her namesake foundation during her own struggle with cancer, and Stewart was determined to keep her friend’s efforts alive.

Ryan O’Neal said the first anniversary of Fawcett’s death had been an emotional one for his family. Their son, Redmond, 25, who has been dogged by drug problems and was jailed during his mother’s final days, visited Fawcett’s grave for the first time Friday.

Redford defends arts funding

BALTIMORE — Robert Redford says notions that the arts are trivial or worthless are driven by “small minds.”

The 73-year-old actor spoke Friday to about 900 attendees at an Americans for the Arts summit Friday in Baltimore. He called on them to dispel the “myths” holding back government arts funding.

Recently, Redford founded the Redford Center in California to use the arts to push issues like clean energy.

Redford started the Sundance Film Festival with a National Endowment for the Arts grant. Now it generates $90 million over 10 days for Utah.

He also has been raising money for the Gulf Coast’s recovery from the oil spill, a week after finishing his latest movie production.

Redford says he hopes “The Conspirator,” about the trial of Mary Surratt after Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, may be released this year.

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