Parents of Callum and Jake Robinson, murdered in Mexico, share their family’s anguish

The parents of Callum and Jake Robinson, murdered in Mexico last year, have shared their anguish a year after losing their boys.

Not a day goes by that Martin Robinson doesn’t reach for his phone to tell his sons Jake and Callum about something that he’s seen or read.

Sharing the little moments with phone calls and text messages with his boys is the thing Mr Robinson has missed most since his sons were brutally murdered along with their friend Carter Rhoad one year ago during a surf trip to Mexico.

Mexican authorities have alleged the three friends were killed in a robbery gone wrong and five people have been arrested in connection with their deaths.

A year after losing their boys, Mr Robinson and wife Debra have spoken of their unimaginable grief and revealed how the foundation they founded in honour of their sons was helping them through the tragedy.

Perth brothers Jake, 31, Callum 32, and their American friend Jack, 30, went missing while on a camping and surfing road holiday in April last year.

After a frantic and widespread search, their burnt out truck was located and their bodies discovered in a well in the Baja California province, about an hour south of the border with the United States.

A major search was launched in Ensenada, Mexico, for brothers Callum (left) and Jake Robinson from Perth, who went missing while on a surfing trip. Picture: Instagram

Callum was Australia’s first and only professional lacrosse player in the United States, where he lived for more than a decade.

Jake was a sports-mad doctor and pharmacist and had been due to start work in cardiology upon his return to Australia.

The brothers shared a passion for surfing and had planned the once in a lifetime trip with friend Carter, who was due to be married three months later.

“I don’t think things are going to get easier,” Mr Robinson said of their loss.

“I guess we just need to adapt and we have our good days and we have our bad days.

Martin and Debra Robinson reflect on the death of their sons, Callum and Jake, one year on.

“I just miss being able to talk to them, I’ll read something or hear something and I go and pick my phone up to send them a message, but I can’t do that now and I miss that so much.”

Mrs Robinson said she struggled with the loss of the bright futures her children had ahead of them.

“That’s a very hard thing to come to grips with,” she said.

Her husband added: “We think of the future that they could have had. You know, these young men getting married and having families of their own, it’s all been taken away from them.”

Callum’s girlfriend Emily Howarth has posted heartbreaking tributes on her Instagram page since losing her partner, sharing memories of their time together.

“My heart aches beyond words,” she wrote this week on the one-year anniversary.

Emily Howarth and Callum Robinson. Picture: Instagram

“I feel so beyond grateful for our love. A love that changed my life. A love I’d carry this grief for in every lifetime.

“To the most uniquely special human, whose energy impacted loved ones all over the world. Your story isn’t over. Your impact isn’t over as we continue to share your story, spread your love and speak your name”.

Ms Howarth has shared memories of the partner and man Callum was, including the surprise dates he whisked her away on, his love for animals and the joy he brought to others.

In the wake of their deaths, Mr and Mrs Robinson established the Jake and Callum Robinson Foundation to “help people live bigger, shine brighter and love harder in their honour”.

Among the foundation’s projects include coastal and reef clean ups, fundraising to provide lacrosse goals for public use in the US, Australia and South Korea, and helping diabetic athletes like Callum with health resources.

A large group of friends and family members paddled out off a beach in WA in memory of Jake and Callum Robinson. Picture: Supplied

“The momentum that we’re building is massive, and in another 12 months’ time, if we could sit down and talk about this again, I’m sure we would have lots more stories to tell about what the foundation is doing and what we’ve achieved and how we’ve been able to help other people and other communities,” Mr Robinson said.

“So I think that’s what keeps us going …”.

Speaking at home, where photos of their sons sit by a vase of sunflowers, Jake and Callum’s grieving parents described the outpouring of support they have received from hundreds of people around the world, including friends and strangers.

“We have received hundreds of messages from people here in Australia, and also in the US and in other countries as well, that we’ve never met but were influenced and had their lives impacted by the story of Callum, Jake and their friend Carter,’ Mr Robinson said.

Mrs Robinson said: “I think it’s helped us immensely, I think that’s what’s keeping us afloat”.

Callum with parents Martin and Debra Robinson.

She encouraged others to hold their loved ones closer.

“I suppose the message is, you never know what’s going to happen so live your life and tell people you love them and say the things you want to say,” Mrs Robinson said.

“It’s important, because you never know when it’s going to be the last time.”

“Don’t miss the opportunity. Never miss that opportunity.”