Day 473: January 17, 2026 – At Sea, between Tahiti and Moorea

The Code Alpha alert booming into my cabin just as I was dozing off made me a bit uneasy but not alarmed. Code Alpha summons medical staff to an onboard emergency. We’ve had code alphas before; a slip-and-fall, a fainting, a broken wrist or maybe rib.

But this one was different. Chaz, one of our beloved residents, passed away suddenly, unexpectedly, while doing what he loved: salsa dancing at a Latin Nights party.

Chaz had been with Odyssey from day one. The picture below, taken by a press photographer at the moment we learned the Odyssey was finally cleared to leave Belfast, was published in many international newspapers. It became a symbol of the joy and relief we felt at the start of this journey.

The following day, as the wave of shock and grief reverberated throughout the ship, we wondered if cancelling our scheduled karaoke night was the right thing to do. But the thing is, Chaz loved karaoke. He often dueted with other residents, his voice and joy filling the auditorium. So we kept karaoke and turned it into a loving tribute to his joyful spirit.

His fellow shipmates sang some of his favorite tunes, as well as those that took on a poignant meaning for us. A group rendition of Amazing Grace. Stand By Me. My Heart Will Go On. Let’s Dance. I Will Remember You. My Way. Only the Good Die Young. Those who had duetted with him bravely carried his favorite tunes alone. Tears and joy comingled as we celebrated our Chazmatazz (one of his social media handles).

This is the last picture I took of Chaz, a week before his death. He was on this journey with his best friend Alex. I can only imagine the depth of his grief.