The family of a graphic designer whose body was found in the Whitsundays a month after he disappeared without a trace have revealed why they hoped he would be found alive.
The body of 40-year-old father-of-two Joel Pringle was found last Tuesday after he disappeared from his home in Cannonvale, near Airlie Beach in Queensland’s northern tourist region, on August 19, just five days after his 40th birthday.
Pringle’s partner, Eve Houghton, shared the heartbreaking news that his body had been found in a social media post the next day.
Ms Houghton’s mother Natalie Stockdale has since spoken candidly about how her daughter is coping with the shocking loss of her partner.
“She never gave up, she searched tirelessly until the very last day. Along the way we found signs that gave us hope that he was still alive, but unfortunately they turned out to be false, causing our emotions to swing between hope and despair,” Mrs Stockdale said. news.com.au.
‘Now that Joel has been found, we thought we would be relieved, but instead we feel a deep and overwhelming sadness.
‘Eve is heartbroken, as you can imagine, but she is also strong and resilient, and she is far wiser than her 28 years.’
She added that her daughter and their 17-month-old son are surrounded by a strong support network of family and friends.
The body of graphic designer and father of two Joel Pringle was found last week after he disappeared from Cannonvale on August 19
Mr Pringle and his partner Natalie Stockdale (pictured with their son) moved from Melbourne to the Whitsundays in 2019 after ‘selling everything’ to live on a yacht
Mrs Stockdale also paid a heartfelt tribute to her daughter’s partner, describing Mr Pringle as an extraordinary man with a great sense of humour, a talented artist and a lover of his family.
“He considered Eva his soulmate. Eva and his two sons were his greatest loves,” she added.
Mr Pringle and Ms Houghton, the mother of his youngest son, moved from Melbourne to the Whitsundays in 2019 after “selling everything” to live on a yacht.
The couple loved the free-spirited lifestyle and eventually bought their first home together.
The couple loved the ‘freedom’ they found in the north, where Mr Pringle enjoyed water skiing and mountain biking in his spare time.
He regularly shared videos of his family’s life on his Instagram account, which now has over 45,000 followers.
The couple welcomed a baby boy in April last year.
Mrs Houghton announced the sad discovery of her partner’s body on a special Facebook page.
‘It is with deep sadness that we share with you the news that Joel was found late last night. [Tuesday] In the evening. Unfortunately he passed away,’ she wrote.
‘We would like to express our sincere thanks to everyone who helped in the search for Joel: family, friends and the many people who came from far and wide to help.’
In a message, Mr Pringle described in detail his family’s life at sea.
“We spend our time island hopping, working and enjoying the tropical islands,” he wrote.
‘Living on a boat was definitely not easy, but it was one of the best things we ever did.’
Mr Pringle’s death is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner
In April, Mr Pringle shared a video of his son.
“Monty, we are so in love with your little guy! The best thing about the studio is your visits,” he said.
Mr Pringle’s death is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
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