“Husbands, love
your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her.” ~ Eph.
5:25
In the quiet morning light that beautifies the northeastern
Japanese coast, 67-year-old Yasuo Takamatsu pulled on his wetsuit for another
dive into the briny Pacific Ocean. It’s been a ritual he’s repeated hundreds of
times since 2013.
His wasn’t a search
for treasure, but for a piece of his heart stolen by the sea that fateful day
in March 2011, when a devastating earthquake and tsunami devastated northeastern
Japan. The disaster took 19,759 lives - 2,553 are still missing, including his wife,
Yuko.
In the chaos of the
disaster, Yuko managed to send an eerily simple email to her husband, Takamatsu,
at 3:21 pm: “Are you OK? I want to go home.” Those were the last words he
would ever receive from her.
Weeks later, someone
found Yuko’s pink flip phone in her employer’s parking lot, not far from where
she disappeared. It revealed an unsent text still on the phone, written at
3:25. “So much tsunami,” it read.
Encouraged by Yuko’s
last message, Takamatsu made a vow that has since defined his life. He retired and
began searching relentlessly for his wife’s remains.
At age 56, Takamatsu
took up scuba diving, fulfilling a solemn promise he made to Yuko that he’d
find her and bring her home. He dove into the vast, murky, and dangerous waters
more than 600 times since 2013.
Looking for a body in
the ocean is like looking for the perfect snowflake in a snowstorm. But
Takamatsu refuses to stop combing the ocean floor for any sign of his beloved
wife. “I have no choice but to keep looking. I feel closest to her in the
ocean.”
The ocean’s haunting serenity
holds vast secrets and sorrows in its depths. With each weekly dive, Takamatsu
faces its physical challenges, the treacheries of coastal wreckage, and the
emotional heartbreak of losing his wife over and over again.
To date, he’s found
only the remnants of other victims’ lives – photo albums, clothing, and
jewelry. But there’s been no trace of his beloved Yuko.
As he adjusts his dive
mask and prepares for another chilly morning plunge, he prays that one day, his
elusive quest for peace will end successfully. Unfortunately, it won’t be
today! But he’ll try again next week because that’s where he feels closest to
her..
It would seem that Takamatsu’s
devotion was more than just a promise, but a connection to Yuko that continues
on a spiritual level. The impact of her presence, wisdom, and love endures,
guiding and inspiring him to be a wonderful role model for others.
“Father God, as the sun rises and bathes the
world in Your brilliant light, immerse my wife in Your grace and favor. Bless
her with Your might and bring her peace to face every day with a calm heart and
a clear mind. Amen ~ Takamatsu
