On a Wednesday morning, August 14, 2002, Jason Roy Henderson was seen by his wife for the last time as he departed for a solo fishing excursion off the coast of Mahukona, Hawaii. The 30-year-old embarked from Mahukona Harbor in his twelve-foot blue, green, and yellow Seahawk Zodiac raft, powered by a two-horse Honda outboard motor. The raft was distinctively marked with the name 'Angel Pudding' written in black pen on the outboard end.
Henderson, a man with a decade of experience in the U.S. Army's Special Forces, was well-equipped for his outing. He had with him a military camouflage CamelBak with water, a red diving floater, two fishing poles, MREs, two oars, and a red air pump. He was wearing red surfing shorts with a black stripe and a pocket that held his cellular phone, wallet, and keys.
Other fishermen reported seeing Henderson on the water at approximately 6:00 p.m. that evening. However, when he failed to return by his planned time of 10:00 p.m., his family grew worried and contacted the authorities. A significant search effort was promptly initiated, with reports indicating a strong current in the area that day. The United States Coast Guard led a massive and thorough search of the waters, but their efforts yielded no signs of Henderson or his raft.
In the years that have followed, no trace of Jason Roy Henderson or any of his belongings has ever been discovered. A 1990 graduate of Norton High School in Ohio, Henderson had dedicated a significant portion of his life to military service. Just months before his disappearance, in May 2002, he had graduated from the University of Hawaii as a commissioned officer through its ROTC program. At the time he went missing, he was a second lieutenant in the Hawaii National Guard and had plans to attend military training in Georgia that October. He left behind two children, and his wife has since remarried. The prevailing theory is that he was tragically lost at sea. The case of Jason Roy Henderson is an overview of a sudden and perplexing disappearance of a decorated veteran and family man who vanished while engaging in a routine recreational activity, leaving his loved ones with unanswered questions.Last Seen: Aug 14, 2002
