On Saturday, September 19, Thomas Gigler, a 56-year-old father from California and the husband of a woman traveling with their three sons, jumped from Cruise Ship Carnival Panorama while it was sailing from Vallarta, Mexico, to the port of Long Beach in Los Angeles.
Gigler was celebrating his 15th wedding anniversary with his wife, Michelle, 48. The couple was travelling with their three young sons, and the family comes from Redlands, California, about 64 miles east of Los Angeles.
The Family and the Company
Thomas Gigler spent all 24 years of his career at software development firm Esri. His sister, Wendy Dowden, told the Daily Mail that Thomas and Michelle were “getting along quite well.” She said the couple’s decision to take a cruise was consistent with their account.
The photo in question features the couple alongside their three children, captured at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides yet another window into what Dowden described as their life together, one that appears free from serious troubles. Dowden said the family believes a sudden psychotic episode may have driven her brother to the brink, even though he had never previously experienced a mental health crisis. She also said he wasn’t in the right mind to have taken such an action.
“Something must have happened in his head,” she said.
What Happened on the Ship
On Saturday, September 19, staff first called on Thomas to step forward in an announcement at around 11 a.m. When Thomas did not respond, the message was repeated multiple times in the afternoon.
At 3:30 p.m., passengers were ordered back to their rooms, and staff conducted a ship-wide search, checking IDs room by room. Carnival then began reviewing security camera footage. A passenger staying in a cabin near the Giglers confirmed that the family was staying on the second deck. The footage confirmed that Thomas had jumped from the ship’s 11th deck, meaning he climbed nine levels to leap.
No One Knew
He had not discussed plans to take such an extreme action with anyone on the ship, according to witnesses. Another passenger said Thomas had spoken to him about marital troubles while sitting at a bar, however. Dowden rejected the accusations against her.
The Lockdown
A video from passenger Misty Hernandez, posted on Facebook, backed this up, showing other travelers gathering to recall Thomas. A small display devoted to Thomas on the ship was covered in handwritten messages, prayers, and other tributes.
In its statement, Carnival said the company offered support to the grieving family during their difficult time. The statement added that Thomas went overboard while the ship was sailing from Vallarta, Mexico, to the port of Long Beach in Los Angeles.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| Announcement at 11 a.m. | Saturday, September 19 |
| Room lockdown at 3:30 p.m. | Saturday, September 19 |
| Security camera footage reviewed | Later Saturday |
| Thomas identified | This week |
| Coast Guard search | Ongoing |
| Body presumed deceased | Reports |
What the Family Believes
Dowden said the family believes a sudden psychotic episode may have caused Thomas to harm himself. “We think something must have happened in his head. He wasn’t in the right mind to have done this,” she said.
The Mexican Navy and nearby commercial ships joined the effort, according to the Mexican Coast Guard, which said it had already searched the area. The Coast Guard’s search had already concluded by the time of the report, and it noted that Thomas’s disappearance was being treated as a presumed death.
The Anniversary Trip
This week, Thomas Gigler and his family set sail on a voyage across the Pacific Ocean. He was accompanied by his wife and three sons, and the trip was planned as a week-long escape to mark their 15th wedding anniversary.
The cruise was meant to be a milestone for Michelle and their three sons, but it turned into a tragedy for hundreds of passengers aboard the ship.
Where Things Stand
The hunt for Thomas Gigler is still on. He is presumed deceased, though his body has yet to be found.
US and Mexican officials are looking into the case, and reports indicate he is being treated as dead. The search has not turned up any sign of him.
Sorrow for a Family Man
Thomas Gigler came from Redlands, California, and was a husband and father of three sons. His career was spent at Esri, where he held his position for his entire working life. He was on the water with his wife and three sons when he died.
His sister suggested that something had to have gone wrong inside his head, that he wasn’t mentally in the right state to carry out this act.
A cruise that was meant to be a celebration ended in tragedy.
See the video the story is built around at Bored Panda.
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