A Family's Heartbreaking Plea: Urgent Appeal to Bring Their Loved One Home After Tragic Drowning in Hawaii

In the depths of their grief and desperation, a Mobile, Alabama family is reaching out with an urgent plea for help in retrieving the body of their beloved son and brother, who drowned in a tragic accident in Hawaii.

On June 24th, 2024, 24-year-old Nathan Wilkins, a bright and promising young man, was enjoying a scuba diving excursion off the coast of Oahu when disaster struck. An unforeseen current swept him away, separating him from his diving group. Despite an extensive search and rescue operation, his body has not yet been located.

Nathan's family has been left devastated by this sudden and unimaginable loss. They are now faced with the overwhelming financial burden of retrieving his body from the depths of the Pacific Ocean. The cost of specialized recovery equipment, divers, and a submersible vessel is estimated to exceed $80,000.

In a heart-wrenching statement, Nathan's mother, Michelle, shared her family's profound pain and their unwavering determination to bring their son home.

"We are a close-knit family, and Nathan was our heart and soul," Michelle said. "He had so much life left to live, so many dreams to fulfill. We cannot bear the thought of not being able to give him a proper burial and lay his body to rest."

Nathan's family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for the recovery operation. They have already received an outpouring of support from the community, but they know that more help is needed to reach their goal.

"Every donation, no matter how small, will make a difference," said Nathan's father, John. "We are grateful for every act of kindness and support during this difficult time."

In addition to financial assistance, the family is also appealing to the public for any information that could lead to the discovery of Nathan's body. They are urging anyone who may have witnessed the accident or has any knowledge of his whereabouts to come forward.

Nathan's sister, Emily, spoke of her brother's adventurous spirit and infectious laughter.

"Nathan was always up for a challenge," Emily said. "He loved exploring new places and experiencing life to the fullest. We will always cherish the memories we have of him."

The family has enlisted the help of the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, which is coordinating the search and recovery efforts. They are hopeful that Nathan's body will be found soon so that they can finally bring him home and begin the healing process.

"We are not giving up hope," Michelle said. "We will continue to search for Nathan until he is found. We need the support and prayers of the community to help us through this."

Anyone wishing to contribute to the GoFundMe campaign can visit the following link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/bring-nathan-wilkins-home.

The family also encourages anyone with information about Nathan's whereabouts to contact the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources at (808) 587-0200.