'I said I love you and that was it': Loved ones mourn fisherman, 27, lost at sea in N.S.

Fishers are rallying around the family of one of their own who was lost at sea near Cape Sable Island, N.S.

Kristen Malone has confirmed to CTV News the missing fisherman is her boyfriend, 27-year-old Christian Lee Atwood — father to a 14-month-old boy, Colson, and step-father to her two children.

“His number one priority in life was that little boy,” Malone said over the phone. “He just loved that little boy so much and he wanted to do everything for him.”

Via text, Christian's mother, Carmella Newell, described her son as a family man who loved his brothers, parents, son and girlfriend.

“He was the kindest, most amazing, do anything for you kind of guy,” Newell said.

Around noon Tuesday, Halifax's Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) called off its search for Atwood and handed the case over to the RCMP to be treated as a missing persons case.

A search began by air and water after JRCC received a mayday call about a man overboard at 8:21 a.m. on Boxing Day. An official said the man had been onboard a 12-metre fishing vessel, called The Little Weasel II, about 11 kilometres south of Cape Sable Island.

This tragedy is hitting fishers across the region hard.

Nathan Cooke, a representative of Atlantic Canada Fishermen’s Association, is supporting the family by coordinating and sharing a fundraiser.

“I’m just trying to do something good there. We’re so united in the community with the fishery. We kind of look out for each other when something like this happens, and it’s more common than you think, so it’s nice to know someone will be there to look out for you and your family when something as devastating as this were to happen,” Cooke said.

Malone said all of the support is overwhelming.

“It’s unbelievable how when something happens, everyone comes together and you’re not alone,” she said.

Malone said she spent Christmas with Atwood and the two spent the morning together before she dropped him off for work.

“I gave him his kiss and said, ‘I love you,’ and that was it,” she said.

It was early in the morning then. She went back to bed and woke up to a text from him, reading, “We’re getting close to setting gear hope ya have a good morning love ya.”

Malone said soon after, she got a call from the captain’s wife saying Atwood had gone overboard.

“I don’t know the whole story because I wasn’t out there but I know they tried everything they could,” she said.

She said the family is appreciative of all of the efforts by the Canadian Coast Guard and other fishers to find Atwood.

“It was very hard to get that call saying it was over because it just seems it wasn’t enough. It just didn’t seem long enough but we know after so long, it just becomes a rescue, or a recovery, I guess,” she said, noting the community is still searching.

“I guess it’s just hard because when it ends, it finalizes it more,” Malone said.

Cooke says the Atlantic Canada Fishermen’s Association is helping spread the word about a trust account set up for Colson Atwood and family. He says email donations can be sent to [e-mail].