Heartbreaking text message sailor sent wife before jumping off USS Abraham Lincoln
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
The wife of a man who jumped off the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier last month detailed a tragic message he sent her.
The 19-year-old Navy sailor, an aircraft mechanic and father of two, went overboard off Iran's southern coast on August 3.
Authorities were able to rescue the sailor after he spent 45 mins in the water.
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It was on the 255th day of Lincoln's deployment, after it first set sail on November 21, 2025, amid the current climate in the Middle East.
The ship is currently en route to its home port in San Diego and will likely remain at sea for another two weeks before returning to the US.
In an interview with MS Now, the wife of the sailor has revealed the last message he sent her before what she says was a suicide attempt.
The sailor allegedly penned in the July 21 exchange: "I think the boat is finally getting to me and I really don't think I can keep up my peace act anymore, you are right about it all not being okay, we were supposed to leave 5th fleet on July 15th but then something had to come up and my last hope of being home soon was gone, I'm really trying to not feel negative or hopeless but between the WIFI and not knowing when I will come home and not knowing what is happening back at home, it's really getting me, I don't think i can do another deployment after this and I don't even know if I can finish this deployment."
The woman's husband returned to San Diego in August and has since had one mental health appointment.
He was prescribed an antidepressant and an anti-anxiety medication, according to the sailor's wife, while he's also been experiencing severe back pain since the incident.
She went on to tell MS Now that he is scheduled to see the Navy doctors for an appointment next month.
"I think that he has changed as a person, but I also do think he’s been doing a lot better since being off the boat," she said.
The woman went on to claim her husband’s command master chief told her the Navy would stand with the family during this difficult time, but 'instead, they pressed charges against my husband — they punished him'.
Responding to the claims, a Navy officials told MS Now in a statement: "Sailors are accountable under the UCMJ [Uniform Code of Military Justice], but suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts are not, themselves, punishable misconduct.
"They require a safety-first response, clinical care, and command support. Any separate allegation of misconduct is considered on its own facts with appropriate legal consultation."
UNILAD has contacted the Navy for further comment.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
If you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Topics: Mental Health, US News
Callum Jones