The family of a graphic design influencer whose body was found a month after he vanished without a trace in the Whitsundays has revealed why they hoped he'd be found alive.

The body of father-of-two Joel Pringle, 40, was found last Tuesday, after he disappeared from his Cannonvale home near Airlie Beach in the north Queensland tourist region on August 19- just five days after celebrated his 40th birthday.

Mr Pringle's partner, Eve Houghton, shared the heartbreaking news that his body had been found in a social media post the next day. 

Ms Houghton's mother Natalie Stockdale has since opened up about how her daughter has been coping with the shock loss of her partner.

'She never gave up, tirelessly searching until the very last day. Along the way, we encountered signs that gave us hope he was still alive, but sadly, they turned out to be false, which made our emotions swing between hope and despair,' Ms Stockdale told news.com.au.

'Now that Joel has been found, we thought we'd feel some relief, but instead, it's a profound and overwhelming sadness.

'Eve is deeply distressed, as you can imagine, but she's also strong and resilient, with wisdom far beyond her 28 years.'

She added that her daughter and the couple's 17-month-old son have been surrounded by a strong support system of family and friends.




Graphic designer and ✅ ✅ ✅ All-in-one web analytics ✅ ✅ ✅ father-of-two Joel Pringle's body was found last week after he disappeared from Cannonvale on August 19





Mr Pringle and partner Natalie Stockdale (pictured with their son) moved to the Whitsundays from Melbourne in 2019 after they 'sold everything' to live on a yacht




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 Ms Stockdale also paid a heartfelt tribute to paid her daughter's partner, describing Mr Pringle as an extraordinary man who had a great sense of humour, was a talented artist and loved his family.

'He considered Eve as his soulmate. Eve and his two sons were his greatest loves,' she added.

 Mr Pringle and Ms Houghton, the mother of his youngest son, moved to the Whitsundays from Melbourne in 2019 after they 'sold everything' to live on a yacht.

The couple loved the freedom lifestyle and eventually bought their first home together. 

The couple loved the 'freedom' they found up north, where Mr Pringle enjoyed water skiing and mountain biking in his free time.

He would often share videos of his family's lifestyle on his Instagram account, which gained upward of 45,000 followers. 

The couple welcomed a baby boy in April last year.

Ms Houghton announced the sad discovery of her partner's body on a dedicated Facebook page.

'It is with deep sadness that we share the news that Joel was found late yesterday [Tuesday] evening. Unfortunately he has passed,' she wrote.

'We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has come together in the search for Joel - family, friends, and the many people who travelled from far and wide to help.'

In one post, Mr Pringle detailed his family's life at sea.

'We spend time island hopping, working and enjoying tropical island,' he wrote.

'It definitely wasn't easy to live on a boat, but one of the best things we have done.'




Mr Pringle's death is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner

In April, Mr Pringle shared a video of his baby son. 

'Monty we are so in love with you little guy! Best thing about the studio is your visits,' he said.

Mr Pringle's death is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

 For confidential support 24/7, call Lifeline 13 11 14


MelbourneQueensland