The search for Mikey, a popular YouTube content creator known to thousands of followers as SD Fish and Sips, has ended as his body was found in waters near San Cristobal, his family said.
The 20,000-subscriber YouTube personality went missing on Nov. 11 after issuing a distress call from his solo skiff at around 3 p.m. off the coast of Baja California. His body was found early Sunday, his family said on a GoFundMe page created to fund search efforts.
"As difficult as it is to accept this, we are grateful that it provides us some closure," his family said. "Everyone poured everything into finding Mikey, because whether they knew him or not, they knew a son, a brother, a friend, a fisherman, a fellow human needed help."
According to his distress call, Mikey encountered engine trouble while fishing solo. While attempting to repair the motor, the engine dislodged, which caused his skiff to flip. Though he managed to right the skiff and begin paddling, the boat had taken on too water. The details of what transpired after remain unknown.
Local fishermen heard Mikey's radio distress call, though the signal was weak and the message unclear. Despite the weak signal, they realized the urgency and immediately began searching nearby as well. The U.S. Coast Guard and Mexican Navy and Coast Guard were notified at the same time.
Boats searched late into the night on Nov. 11 without success. The following day, dozens of local boats worked in coordination with every available resource from the Mexican Navy, while private planes provided assistance from the air, and ground teams combed the coastline.
The search continued for four days. Mikey's skiff was found during the effort, though the search ultimately ended on Saturday.
Throughout the ordeal, the community of Bahía Asunción rallied around the effort. Mikey's father and older brother traveled to the town to coordinate directly with Mexican Navy leadership and local responders.
The family said how grateful they were for the outpouring of support, noting that it reflected the profound impact Mikey had made on those around him.
"Everyone has been extremely selfless during this time, and selflessness is one of the greatest acts of love," the family stated. "We were united in the search and we are united in love."
The GoFundMe campaign created to cover fuel costs and aircraft expenses ultimately raised more than $46,000, exceeding its $40,000 goal.
Mikey used his YouTube channel, SD Fish and Sips, to document fishing adventures throughout the San Diego area. His personality and philosophy of mindfulness and positivity extended beyond his online presence to influence those in his personal and local community, according to accounts.
The family reflected on Mikey's approach to life, sharing a quote he frequently recited: "Life is not just the passing of time, it is a collection of experiences, their frequencies and the intensity of those experiences," attributed to Bill Bailey.
"Mikey was mindful and present every day, and that allowed him to live a longer life than can be measured on a calendar," the family wrote. "His mission was to spread his positive energy and make every person he came in contact with better, and he did."