Heartbroken wife, daughter still cling to hope

“Every time we hear a car, me and my daughter run straight to the front door hoping it is him.”

A HEARTBROKEN and lonely Hanan Bekhou hasn't lost hope her missing husband Craig Gordon will walk through the door of their Boyne Island home.

Every meal she eats with their daughter Sabrina at their dining table, they are in his presence, while his shirt stays draped over his chair.

"His shirt is on his chair, so he is always with us at our meal times," Ms Bekhou said.

Almost a month has passed since Mr Gordon left in his white Mazda dual cab utility (rego 522ZTD) on November 11, towing his tinny, to do a job for a woman on Curtis Island and go fishing and crabbing.

 

RACQ Capricorn Rescue was tasked to perform an extensive aerial search from the Emu Park area to Port Alma for missing Boyne Island man Craig Gordon.

 

A large scale search involving infra red camera equipped aircraft, helicopters, boats, the RACQ Capricorn Helicopter Rescue and police found Mr Gordon's tinny on Balaclava Island, near the northern end of Curtis Island, on November 17.

Hanan and Craig met in 2010 in her native country of Morocco and were married the following year.

They have a daughter, seven-year-old Sabrina, who is their pride and joy.

When they hear a car drive along their street, they hope it is the 62 year-old marine engineer coming home.

"Every time we hear a car me and my daughter run straight to the front door hoping it is him," Ms Bekhou said.

"But he hasn't come back.

"I have called the police again and again, but they say he is still missing and they aren't searching for him any more."

For two weeks prior to going to Curtis Island, to make a sign for the cemetery commemorating people lost at sea, Mr Gordon told his wife he felt dizzy and had headaches.

"I told him he needed to see a doctor, but he said he promised to help Claire with her things at Curtis Island," Ms Bekhou said.

Now she suspects he fell out of his boat, carrying his bag containing his wallet and mobile phone.

The police told her he may have been eaten by a crocodile or a shark.

Despite having no access to any bank accounts which were all in Mr Gordon's name only, things are looking slightly more positive for Ms Bekhou.

Last week she was given more than $6000 that was raised through website Go Fund Me, organised by his workmate Cameron Turnbull.

Today she said she had received her first payment from Services Australia.

 

The car believed to have been driven by Craig Gordon.

 

Now she is determined to make the best life possible in the tragic circumstances for her daughter by working.

"I am applying for work cleaning houses or offices and I have an interview," Ms Bekhou said.

"I would like to get some work cleaning (because) then I come home and look after my daughter and have some money to pay bills."

Ms Bekhou has a car, licence and his extremely keen to find work cleaning to help her and Sabrina survive.

She said she had received great help from her friends and neighbours since her husband went missing.

"My friend, she come with me to Centrelink and to see the solicitor and my neighbours have been very good," Ms Bekhou said.

For cultural and family reasons, Ms Bekhou is reluctant to have a photo taken of her and her daughter.

Anyone who can help Ms Bekhou get work cleaning is encouraged to contact [e-mail] for her contact details.