A woman has taken her own life on what she dubbed as her 'last cruise,' jumping to her death after suffering from declining physical and mental health.
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The unnamed woman from the US was suffering from grief and depression. She had lost her daughter in 2006 and never fully recovered from the loss. Then, in 2014, she needed knee surgery. However, the surgery went badly and it resulted in both knees and hips needing a replacement.
The surgery was a very invasive one and left her in immense amounts of pain. She needed first one cane, then two, and eventually a mobility scooter. However, she still took the occasional cruise, claiming it was one of the only things to still bring her joy.
"She spiraled into depression and told people that she didn't want to live anymore," Deputy State Coroner David O'Neil said. "The grief coupled with the physical pain that she was in caused her to experience suicidal ideation."
Grieving Mother Took Her Own Life On Her Final Cruise
O'Neil told of how the depressed and disabled woman would speak of her end-of-life plans. "She would often tell him (Her son) before departing on cruises that it would be her last and she would not return." She repeatedly spoke about taking her life during a cruise.
It was on these tours that she was happiest. She loved lounging by the pool, taking in the heat, and waking up in a new country. She chose this moment to take her life, throwing herself overboard on the cruise. It was pre-planned and caused as little hassle or distress to others as a suicide can.
For her final cruise, she took the Majestic Princess from New Zealand to Sydney. She took a premium stateroom with a balcony. She was ordered to leave the ship due to visa requirements on January 18th in Circular Quay.
However, on the 17, when a cleaner came to check on her, they found her room empty, bags packed, and a note. She told the cruise staff to send her bags back and her son would pay.
Checking CCTV it showed that the woman had eaten a last final meal, and proceeded to jump over the railings of the cruise. She would have been lost at sea between New Zealand and Australia. A search would be futile.
