Yacht crew safety and mental health: a call for change

Anyone who knows me knows that my usual style of writing is laced with humor, sarcasm, and a healthy dose of side-eye at life’s absurdities. I like to make people laugh, shake their heads, and maybe snort their coffee once in a while. But today is different. Today, there is no room for punchlines. Today, my words carry the weight of grief, anger, and an ache that humor cannot soften. What follows is not entertainment — it is a heartfelt plea from someone who has seen too much pain in a community that should be united by respect, trust, and safety. The focus here is on yacht crew safety and mental health, issues that demand our attention and care.

“Words Written with a Wounded Soul”

As I write these lines, I do so with a heart heavy from grief and a soul torn open by the 

pain our yachting family has endured. Each word feels carved from sorrow, not inked on paper but etched into my own wounds. This is not just a story; it is a cry from the depths of compassion, a plea for awareness, and a tribute to those whose lives were taken too soon.

In recent weeks, our yachting community has been shaken to its core — first by the tragic loss of stewardess Paige Bell, and soon after by another violent incident ending in the aggressor’s death. These are not just headlines; they are human lives — dreams cut short, families left in grief, and colleagues forever marked by trauma. We cannot pretend that these are isolated events or “just part of the job.” The truth is, our industry must take a hard look at itself. We need proper background checks, transparent hiring practices, and standards aligned with those of the Merchant Marine to ensure that every person who steps aboard is not only skilled, but also mentally fit and safe to work alongside. Mental illness, unchecked stress, drug addiction and alcoholism are real and urgent issues in our profession, and ignoring them leads to devastating consequences. No one should ever lose their life — or their peace — while doing their job and pursuing their dreams. This is a time for compassion, for supporting the families and friends affected, and for using these painful lessons as a turning point. Whatever we believe about fate or God’s will, we owe it to those we’ve lost to make our industry safer, kinder, and more human.