In a gut-wrenching twist that has left the Gold Coast reeling, the wife of missing fisherman Ashley “Ash” Haigh has reportedly found a handwritten suicide note tucked inside his jacket pocket—words penned just before he set out on what would be his final voyage. The discovery has prompted her to publicly urge search teams to stand down, declaring with tearful certainty that her beloved husband deliberately ended his life in the vast ocean he once loved.

The note, described by family sources as brief but devastatingly clear, was uncovered in the days following the suspension of active searches. Haigh’s wife, Jess, reportedly stumbled upon it while sorting through his belongings at their home, the jacket still carrying the faint scent of saltwater and diesel from his last trip. In it, the 44-year-old expressed deep inner turmoil, feelings of overwhelming despair, and a desire to spare his family further pain. He apologized profusely, professed his undying love for Jess and their children, and explained that the sea—his lifelong companion—would be the place he chose to find peace.

The revelation has shattered the lingering hope that Haigh’s disappearance on February 5, 2026, was a tragic accident. The experienced game fisherman, former president of the Gold Coast Game Fish Club and a respected figure in marlin circles, left Runaway Bay Marina that Thursday morning intending a routine day chasing big fish. Calm seas, good visibility, and no storms were forecast. He was expected home for dinner. When the black half-cabin boat failed to return by evening, Jess raised the alarm around 7 p.m.

What unfolded next was one of Queensland’s most intensive maritime searches. His unmanned vessel was spotted drifting 46 kilometers offshore near Burleigh Heads at 2 a.m. Friday—intact, no visible damage, but hauntingly empty. Missing were Haigh’s life jacket and the boat keys, items that fueled early theories of an accidental fall. An inactive EPIRB registered to him surfaced 25 kilometers off Ballina in northern New South Wales on Saturday, offering no signal or clue.

Helicopters, boats, drones, and cross-border teams from Queensland and NSW scoured over 1,800 square nautical miles. Volunteers, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, and local marine rescue groups poured resources into the effort. Yet no signs of life emerged—no clothing, no debris, no distress flares. By Sunday night, February 8, authorities suspended the active phase, transitioning to passive monitoring and recovery mode while remaining in close contact with the devastated family.

Now, the suicide note has rewritten the narrative. Jess, supported by close friends and the fishing community, has called for an end to further searches, stating through intermediaries that she accepts the painful truth: her husband chose to leave this world on his own terms. “He was struggling more than any of us knew,” sources close to the family say she confided. “The note makes it clear—he didn’t want to burden us anymore. Please let him rest.” The plea reflects a mother’s and wife’s desperate need for closure amid unbearable grief.

Haigh was more than a fisherman; he was a family man, a mentor to younger anglers, and a pillar in the tight-knit Gold Coast scene. Friends remember his infectious laugh, his willingness to share marlin hotspots, and his pride in providing for his wife and kids. A GoFundMe launched to ease financial pressures for Jess and the children exploded, raising tens of thousands in days as tributes flooded in: “Ash was the heartbeat of our club,” one post read. “This doesn’t make sense—he had everything to live for.”

Yet behind the public persona, whispers suggest Haigh battled silent demons. Mental health struggles among fishermen—long hours alone at sea, financial pressures from variable catches, the isolation—are all too common, experts note. Whether depression, anxiety, or other unseen burdens drove him to this point remains private, but the note’s existence has forced the community to confront the hidden pain many carry.

The discovery has sparked renewed calls for mental health awareness in Australia’s maritime industries. Organizations like Beyond Blue and Lifeline have seen spikes in inquiries, with advocates urging boaties and anglers to check in on mates. “The ocean can be a place of escape, but also of solitude that amplifies inner turmoil,” one counselor said. Haigh’s case, though tragic, may save lives by breaking the silence.

For Jess and the children, the road ahead is long and dark. The note, while offering answers, brings no comfort—only the finality of loss. As the family prepares for what comes next—possible formal identification if remains are found, memorial services, and navigating life without their anchor—the Gold Coast fishing fleet pauses in quiet respect. Boats idle at marinas, flags fly at half-mast, and the sea Haigh loved so much now holds his secret forever.

No miracle returned him home. Instead, a simple jacket pocket delivered the cruelest truth: sometimes the deepest battles are fought alone, even on the water’s surface. The community mourns not just a man, but the unspoken struggles that claimed him.