In a twist that has left a grieving family reeling and the nation transfixed, a handwritten letter soaked in saltwater and sorrow was discovered inside the backpack of missing FIFO worker William ‘Bill’ Carter – a final, gut-wrenching message to his mother, sister, and girlfriend that reveals the hidden torment behind his mysterious disappearance. “Why did you leave us this way, Bill?” his devastated mum Jenny O’Byrne is said to have whispered through tears upon reading the note, her voice breaking as the words exposed the depth of her son’s silent struggle.

The backpack, a small black rucksack that Bill was last seen carrying on CCTV at Trigg Beach, washed ashore days ago amid the relentless search – but its contents, including the sealed envelope with the letter, were only revealed to the family after police confirmed on December 16 the discovery of a body believed to be the 25-year-old’s. Formal identification is pending, but authorities have no doubts, and the death is not being treated as suspicious. Now, with the letter’s intimate details emerging, the story of Bill Carter’s vanishing has taken on a profoundly personal layer, shedding light on the mental battles faced by so many in Australia’s grueling mining industry.

The letter, scrawled in Bill’s neat handwriting on a single sheet of lined paper, was found tucked into a waterproof pouch inside the backpack, alongside a few personal items: a half-eaten protein bar, a crumpled boarding pass he never used, and a photo of him with his girlfriend Janae Williamson, 24, taken during their last holiday together. Sources close to the investigation say the note was dated December 6 – the very day he disappeared – and addressed simply: “To Mum, Sarah, and my darling Janae – I’m so sorry.”

In the opening lines, Bill poured out his heart to his mother Jenny, the woman who had raised him with unwavering love in Perth’s southern suburbs. “Mum, you’ve been my rock through everything,” he wrote. “From those early mornings driving me to school in Bunbury to dropping me at the airport that last time – I know how much you’ve sacrificed. But I can’t keep pretending anymore. The shifts in the Pilbara are killing me inside. The isolation, the endless dirt, the nights staring at the ceiling in that donga… it’s all too much. I love you more than words can say, but I need peace. Please forgive me.” Jenny, upon reading it, reportedly clutched the paper to her chest, sobbing uncontrollably. “It was like hearing his voice one last time,” a family friend confided. “But the pain – oh, the pain in those words.”

Turning to his sister Sarah, 22, Bill’s message was filled with sibling warmth mixed with regret. “Sarah, my little sis, you always knew how to make me laugh, even on my darkest days,” he penned. “Remember those beach trips we took as kids? I wish I could go back to that simplicity. You’ve got your whole life ahead – chase those dreams at uni, don’t let the world grind you down like it did me. I’m sorry I won’t be there for your graduation, but know I’m proud of you. Take care of Mum for me.” Sarah, who had been actively sharing appeals on social media during the search, is said to have broken down, whispering, “He was always protecting me, even in the end.”

The most poignant section was reserved for Janae, his girlfriend of three years, a primary school teacher whose bright smile had been Bill’s anchor. “Janae, my love, you were the light in my FIFO darkness,” he wrote, his words smudged slightly from the water. “Those weekends back in Perth with you – holding hands on the beach, watching sunsets at Trigg – they kept me going. But the roster stole too much from us. I couldn’t bear another swing away, another month without your touch. I dreamed of quitting, starting fresh, maybe teaching with you one day. But the pressure… it broke me. Please don’t blame yourself. Find someone who can give you the happiness you deserve. I love you eternally.” Janae, upon reading it, collapsed into Jenny’s arms, her cries echoing the family’s shared anguish. “He hid so much,” she later told close friends. “I wish he’d let me in sooner.”

The backpack’s discovery, several days before the body was found, had already sent shockwaves through the search efforts. Washed up on the rocks at Trigg Beach – the very spot where Bill was last seen alive – it was spotted by a local jogger who alerted authorities. Police carefully examined it, finding the letter sealed in plastic, as if Bill had anticipated the ocean’s claim. “It was a strange note, heartbreaking in its clarity,” a source in the investigation revealed. “He must have written it on the beach, sealing away his final thoughts before whatever happened next.”

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WA Police find body of man suspected of being missing FIFO worker William Carter | The Australian

Bill’s story began unremarkably enough, a typical tale of a young West Australian chasing the mining dream. Born in 2000, he grew up in Kelmscott, attending Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School where he excelled in maths and sports, dreaming of a stable future. After high school, he enrolled at Murdoch University, studying engineering, but the allure of FIFO wages – often double what entry-level jobs offered – pulled him north to the Pilbara. At 21, he signed on with a major iron ore company, flying in for two-week swings near Karratha, earning enough to support his family and save for a house with Janae.

But beneath the surface, cracks formed. Friends say Bill confided in late-night chats about the toll: the 12-hour shifts in 40-degree heat, the fly-infested camps, the constant jet lag from roster changes. “He’d come home exhausted, but put on a brave face,” one colleague recalled. “We all do – it’s the FIFO way.” Janae noticed the changes too: restless nights, withdrawn moods, a reluctance to discuss work. His recent overseas holiday – a much-needed break – seemed to recharge him, but the prospect of returning snapped something inside.

On December 6, after Jenny’s airport drop-off, Bill’s actions turned enigmatic. Instead of checking in, he lingered at the terminal, perhaps wrestling with inner demons. Then, the taxi to Trigg – a beach he’d loved since childhood, a place of solace with its crashing waves and endless horizon. CCTV showed him arriving, backpack in tow, walking north as if seeking answers in the sea.

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Missing FIFO worker failed to board flight and hailed a cab to the beach

The search kicked off immediately when he missed his site arrival. Jenny’s pleas went viral: “Bill, if you’re out there, come home.” Police canvassed Trigg, interviewing surfers and walkers. Drones buzzed overhead, volunteers trudged the dunes. The backpack’s find on day five raised alarms – empty of valuables but holding that sealed envelope. “We knew then it was serious,” a searcher said.

Mental health experts point to Bill’s letter as a cry for help too late. “FIFO workers face unique isolation,” said Dr. Mark Harrison, a Perth psychiatrist. “The letter shows classic signs: overwhelm, regret, a search for peace. We need better support – mandatory check-ins, peer networks.” Industry bodies agree, with programs like Mates in Mining gaining traction, but critics say it’s not enough for the 60,000+ FIFO staff in WA.

As news of the body broke, tributes poured in. “Bill was the best mate,” posted a Pilbara colleague. “Quiet strength, always lending an ear.” His old uni friends set up a GoFundMe for the family, raising thousands overnight. Sarah shared a childhood photo: “My big brother, my hero. We’ll miss you forever.”

Janae, heartbroken, has vowed to honor his memory. “That letter… it’s my last piece of him,” she confided. “We’ll start a fund for FIFO mental health, in his name.” Jenny, though shattered, finds solace in his words. “He loved us so much,” she said. “That’s what I’ll hold onto.”

The Coroner’s report will detail the circumstances, but Bill’s letter speaks volumes. In Western Australia’s booming resources world, his story is a wake-up call: check on your mates, speak up, seek help. As the sun sets on Trigg Beach tonight, candles flicker where his backpack washed up – a vigil for a young man whose final words remind us of the fragility behind the tough exterior.

Lifeline: 13 11 14. Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636. Don’t wait – reach out.

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The letter’s discovery has sparked debates in mining camps across the Pilbara. Workers share stories of similar struggles: “I’ve felt that darkness,” one anonymous post read. Unions push for reforms – shorter rosters, on-site therapy. Companies respond with statements: “We’re committed to employee wellbeing.” But for Bill’s family, policy changes come too late.

Jenny recalls his childhood: a boy fascinated by the sea, building sandcastles at Trigg. “That’s why he went there,” she mused. “To find peace.” Sarah plans to scatter flowers at the beach, Janae to visit weekly. “His letter said goodbye, but we’ll never let go,” Janae said.

As Perth mourns, Bill’s legacy grows. The scholarship fund, inspired by his uni days, will help young workers pursue education. “He wanted more than the mines,” Janae explained. “This ensures others can too.”

In the end, Bill’s letter – those ink-stained words of love and pain – stands as a testament to a life cut short. “Why did you do this?” Jenny asked. The answer, etched in his farewell, is a call to action for all.