The devastated family of a Louisiana high school baseball star who vanished after jumping off a party boat for a dare have posted a heartbreaking tribute following a visit to the scene where he disappeared in shark-infested waters.
Cameron Robbins, 18, jumped off the Blackbeard’s Revenge sunset cruise ship while celebrating his high school graduation near Athol Island in The Bahamas last Wednesday. The search for the missing teen was called off two days later.
Haunting footage from the boat shows Robbins’ last known moments: swimming in the water as a life preserver is thrown out to him and classmates tell him to grab on.
However, Robbins appears to swim away from the preserver, prompting speculation there could have been sharks in the water, before disappearing into the darkness.
In an online obituary, his family paid tribute to their ‘beloved grandson, son, brother and friend’ who ‘was a recent high school graduate of the University Lab School in Baton Rouge,’ Louisiana.
The devastated family of a Louisiana baseball star who vanished in the Bahamas after jumping off a party boat for a dare have posted a heartbreaking tribute. The Robbins family are pictured here, from L-R, mom Shari, Cole, Cameron, Cassie and dad Will
Cameron Robbins (second right), 18, jumped off the Blackbeard’s Revenge sunset cruise ship while celebrating his high school graduation near Athol Island last Wednesday. The search for the missing teen was called off two days later
The tribute says that Robbins was adopted shortly after his birth in November 2004, going on to participate ‘in any and every competitive activity that he could find, dominating numerous YMCA and church-league preschool team leagues.’
It says: ‘He eventually chose baseball as his first love. […] He was a tough player, battling back from multiple injuries, known to pitch through separated shoulders and broken hands. He hoped to continue his baseball career at the college level.’
His family says he had recently returned from a weekend fishing trip on the Louisiana Gulf Coast with his father and brother before he left for his graduation celebrations in the Bahamas.
In addition to being a sports lover, his family wrote ‘he loved his truck and country music, and was always a big star in the shower and with karaoke machines.
‘He was also an avid LSU fan regularly attending football, basketball and baseball games. Finally, he loved all things edible, especially his mother’s red beans and his grandmother’s spaghetti and meatballs. He made frequent late-night trips to his family’s pantry, where he consumed large quantities of fruity pebbles and popcorn.’
The tribute adds: ‘Though he left this world far too soon, he lived a life full of good friends and family He was funny and kind-hearted, but also intense and driven. He doted on his grandparents and he took pride in his work.
‘He will be missed desperately by his family and friends, who will carry their cherished memories of him to eternity.’
The family are holding a memorial service on Sunday, June 4, and have requested donations be made in his name to the charity – Christian Homes & Family Services in Abilene, Texas – an adoption agency.
Robbins’ family visited the region where he went missing this week.
Speaking to WBRZ, United Cajun Navy Vice President Brian Trascher said that the family traveled to the Bahamas and retraced his final movements.
He said: ‘It took a lot of strength for them to go out there and stay for a few days.
‘When we offered to take them out in a boat to the area where he went overboard and some of the area they were searching they went.
‘I know had to be very emotional for them, but they went and by Sunday they decided they wanted to go home.
‘Had they found a piece of clothing or any kind of clue, that would cause them to extend that 48-hour period, but if they don’t get any kind of indication then that’s usually when they call it off.’
Robbins’ immediate family include his mom Shari, dad Will, brother Cole and sister Cassie.
The heartfelt message comes after a video circulating online sparked speculation that Robbins may have met his end after a shark went after him.
People have claimed they can clearly see a shark in the video.
The heartfelt message comes after a video circulating online sparked speculation that Robbins may have met his end after a shark went after him
Robbins was last seen jumping overboard near Athol Island, not far from where he had been staying on Paradise Island
Providing an update earlier this week, Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) Commodore Raymond King confirmed the area where Robbins went overboard is ‘really shark infested.’
On social media, one person said: ‘The video doesn’t lie, he was attacked by a shark and taken under.’
Another commented: You can see the shark to the left of the video’ and another was adamant they ‘saw the fin’ in the short video.
The Bahamas is home to highly aggressive sharks including tiger and bull sharks.
Witnesses claimed Robbins was acting on a dare when he jumped overboard at 11.30pm from the Blackbeard’s Revenge sunset cruise ship.
Robbins had graduated from the University High in Baton Rouge just days before and was seen wearing his robe and smiling in an Instagram photo.
The star athlete was celebrating with dozens of other seniors from other Baton Rouge high schools including U-High, Episcopal, Catholic, and St. Joseph’s Academy, a parent said.
The students had only arrived on the island hours before the pirate-themed sunset boat excursion and had been staying at the Atlantis Paradise Island in Nassau.
After Robbins had jumped, the boat and its crew members tried to locate him along with multiple agencies, including the US Coast Guard. Cmdre King provided an update Monday on the situation after the search was suspended last week.
He said: ‘The probability of survival decreases significantly particularly if a person did not have on a life vest and particularly if a person is perceived to be intoxicated.
‘I can tell you that area where an individual reportedly jumped over, it’s an area that is really shark infested as well. It is so unfortunate but I don’t want the family to lose hope.’
The US Coast Guard District Seven deployed multiple search and rescue assets in response to obtaining assistance from their partners in the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.
They plotted and searched a 325-square-mile are searching for the young man and called off their search last week.
Robbins, pictured here on the left with his grandmother and brother, had only just graduated from high school days before he went to the Bahamas to celebrate
The students had only arrived on the island hours before the pirate-themed sunset boat excursion and had been staying at the Atlantis Paradise Island in Nassau. Robbins has returned from a recent fishing trip before jetting off to the Bahamas
Dozens of students, pictured here, aboard the sunset cruise ship that Robbins was on before he jumped after acting on a dare that turned deadly
His school community was left rocked by the news and his fellow classmates held a vigil for Robbins last week
‘Our Coast Guard command center and aircrews based in Miami supported RBDF search and rescue efforts since the initial report Wednesday evening, and continued through Friday evening,’ a statement from the US Coast Guard reads.
‘We were informed by the RBDF this evening that they were suspending the active search efforts pending further developments, and were not requesting further Coast Guard assistance after notifying the Robbins family.’
‘We offer our sincerest condolences to Cameron Robbins’ family and friends.’
After the search was called off on May 26, Robbins’ family said: ‘The Bahamas government has called off the rescue for Cameron and we are returning to Baton Rouge.
‘We want to thank the Bahamas government, the US Coast Guard, the United Cajun Navy, and Congressman Garrett Graves for everything they have done for us.
‘In this time of grief we thank our family, friends and well wishers for granting us the privacy we need to properly remember our son and mourn his loss.’
University Lab School Director Kevin George said Robbins attended the school for all 13 years of his education.
In a statement last week, he said: ‘In times like these, we must come together and support each other. Words fall short of expressing the worry our entire school community is feeling.’
Robbins social media pages highlight his baseball talent, and his love for his friends, and family.
Robbins was on a graduation trip that involved many local high schools in the Baton Rogue area. The students were staying at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island in Nassau
Robbins was a standout baseball players for his high school and his coach described him as a ‘fierce competitor’
The 325-square-mile search for Cameron Robbins, 18, is plotted in this chart
Robbins social media pages highlight his baseball talent, and his love for his friends, and family.
‘Cameron is a kid who is truly loved by his teammates, teachers, and fellow classmates,’ his devastated U-High baseball coach Justin Morgan said.
‘He is a fierce competitor on the baseball field. He is a hard worker both on and off of the playing field.
‘Our school community is struggling right now but hoping for the very best.
‘Our thoughts and prayers have been and will remain with the Robbins family during this difficult time.
