Queensland Police confirm the death of missing man Lewis Jack
A ‘beautiful’ 22-year-old Gold Coast hotel staffer has been found dead days after going missing from Surfers Paradise, understood to have drowned after a night out.
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A “beautiful” 22-year-old Gold Coast hotel staffer has been found dead days after going missing from Surfers Paradise, understood to have drowned after a night out.
On Tuesday, Queensland Police shared a missing persons report for Hilton Surfers Paradise employee Lewis Jack, who was last seen along the Glitter Strip on Saturday night.
However on Wednesday morning a police spokesman confirmed the tragic death of Mr Jack, who was found by water police at around 7.40pm on Tuesday night.
It was understood he had fallen over while intoxicated and drowned in the water near Isle of Capri.
Police are not treating the death as suspicious.
Mr Jack’s mum Sharon Smith, who is in Scotland, was shattered by the news and told this masthead she had “never felt pain like this”.
“Lewis has a twin brother and a younger brother, both of them are devastated,” she said.
“As a family we are broken.”
The heartbroken mum said her son had been out with friends drinking before he began his journey to his home on Gibraltar Dr in Surfers Paradise.
“He seemed very drunk and disorientated and has sadly ended up in the water,” she said.
Ms Smith said the last time she saw her “beautiful” son was when he surprised her in Scotland in March last year.
“My heart is hurting he is no longer with us,” she said.
The Glasgow-born man had moved to Australia in November 2022 and shared details of his vibrant life on social media.
“He loved seeing new things,” Ms Smith said, adding he “loved” living on the Gold Coast.
His Facebook was flooded with photos of his travels, including sipping on wine in Surfers Paradise, climbing mountains in Bali, exploring Vietnam and watching sunsets in Cairns.
Many friends and family applauded Mr Jack for moving his life to Australia, including Denise Halliday, who said “it looks amazing, you look so happy” in 2023.
“Thank you, I sure am,” he replied.
Mr Jack’s grandma Margaret Mooney added to the wave of tributes and said: “It is with a broken heart that I have to say my beautiful grandson has sadly been found.
“R. I. P Lewis Jack. Forever 22. I love you loads.”
Close friend Gemma Roberston shared a collage of photos and captioned it “I can’t believe that I am actually posting this”.
“Lewis I can’t believe you’re gone.
“Worst news ever.
“Fly high my boy.”
Another tribute from Fiona Prude described the him as a “beautiful young man”.
“My heart breaks for all Lewis’s family. I wish we could wrap you all in our arms, more so I wish we could have gotten Lewis safely back to you.”
On Wednesday, a GoFundMe was launched to help bring Mr Jack “back home to Scotland”.
“Lewis was one of the kindest souls,” the GoFundMe organiser Tony-Lee Donnelly said.
“His smile could light up any room, and his warmth and humour touched everyone he met.
“He is deeply loved and will be missed beyond words by all who knew him.”
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Originally published as Queensland Police confirm the death of missing man Lewis Jack
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