Japanese man Yasuo Takamatsu has been relentlessly searching for his wife Yuko, who perished in the devastating 2011 tsunami. Takamatsu, driven by a desire to execute the right funeral rites, has spent over a decade swimming in Fukushima’s murky waters in search of her remains, according to the Metro.
The tsunami was one of the worst in history, killing approximately 20,000 people and leaving many missing. The massive waves washed away Yuko, who worked at a neighboring bank.

Takamatsu’s quest has been persistent. Takamatsu learned to dive with the aid of a volunteer named Masayoshi Takahashi. Mr. Takahashi was chosen because he believed he could assist him in initiating the search, given his prior experience cleaning up tsunami debris underwater. The two had been hunting for Yuko’s debris despite enormous hurdles like freezing seas and restricted vision. Mr. Takamatsu remains determined.

Yuko left two messages on her phone for her husband: one that was not sent, and the other was her farewell message. Her final text was, “Are you okay? “I want to go home.”

In her unsent letter, she attempted to communicate the seriousness of the tsunami by saying, “The tsunami is disastrous.”

In an interview with the New York Times, Yasuo stated, “I anticipated it would be difficult, and it has been, but it’s the only thing I can do.”

He continued, “I have no option but to continue looking for her. I feel the closest to her when I’m at sea.”