Family of California Father Presumed Dead After Going Overboard on Anniversary Cruise Speaks Out About Wife and Three Sons Left Behind
Thomas Gigler, far right, is believed to have jumped overboard from a Carnival cruise headed to California from Mexico,.Facebook/Michelle Gigler
The family of California father Thomas Gigler has broken its silence following his disappearance from a Carnival cruise ship, revealing the difficult reality now facing his wife as she grieves while raising their three young sons alone.
Gigler, 56, of Redlands, was traveling with his wife, Michelle, 48, on an anniversary trip when he is believed to have gone overboard from the Carnival Panorama on Sept. 20. The ship was traveling from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, toward Long Beach at the time.
Despite an extensive search, Gigler was never found and is presumed dead.
Family Describes a “Sudden and Completely Unexpected” Loss
In a fundraising appeal organized to support Michelle and the couple’s children, Gigler’s family remembered him as a deeply loved husband, father, friend and neighbor.
His sister Wendy wrote on behalf of the family that his loss had been sudden and completely unexpected.
Relatives described Thomas as generous, easygoing and nonjudgmental — someone who rarely worried about small problems and enjoyed hearing perspectives different from his own.
He had also spent 24 years working for Esri, a geographic information systems company.
But amid their grief, the family says Michelle is now confronting an entirely different set of challenges.
His Wife Is Now Raising Their Three Boys Alone
The fundraising appeal said Michelle Gigler is dealing with the emotional toll of losing her husband.Facebook/Michelle GiglerAccording to the family, Michelle has been left to care for their three sons while simultaneously dealing with memorial costs, the loss of her husband’s income and a series of legal and administrative issues following his presumed death.
Accessing insurance and retirement benefits may take months because of the paperwork involved, the family said, creating an immediate financial strain at an already devastating time.
A fundraising campaign was established with a $35,000 goal to help cover memorial and immediate living expenses, grief counseling and household costs. The family also hopes eventually to establish an education fund for the boys, something they said was deeply important to their father.
Family Pushes Back Against Claims About the Marriage
Wendy Dowden, sister of California cruise passenger Thomas Gigler, rejected a passenger’s claim about Thomas.
Gigler’s relatives have also challenged speculation about what happened before he disappeared.
His sister previously disputed an account from another passenger who claimed Thomas had discussed marital difficulties at the ship’s Alchemy Bar the night before he went overboard.
The family maintains that Thomas and Michelle had been getting along well and believes something unexpected occurred that left him outside his normal state of mind shortly before the incident.
No definitive explanation for what led to his disappearance is provided in the family’s account.
Extensive Search Failed to Find Him
Michelle Gigler, wife of California cruise passenger Thomas Gigler, is pictured in this undated photo.
Thomas Gigler was on an anniversary trip with his wife when he is believed to have jumped off the Carnival Panorama.Getty Images
After surveillance footage indicated that Gigler had gone into the water, the Carnival Panorama turned around and began searching for him.
The search expanded to include U.S. and Mexican Coast Guard personnel, the Mexican Navy and other nearby vessels. Despite those efforts, Gigler was not located, and the cruise ship eventually continued toward Long Beach.
In the weeks since, the family says it has received an outpouring of support.
Relatives specifically thanked passengers who created a memorial aboard the ship, along with everyone who has sent messages, prayers and words of comfort.
For Michelle and her three sons, however, the consequences of that September night are only beginning. Alongside the emotional loss of a husband and father, the family says they are now navigating the practical and financial uncertainty that followed his sudden disappearance.