Michael Holt, 54, said four chilling words just weeks before setting off on his doomed 3,000 mile charity row to Barbados.

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The Welshman set off from Gran Canaria on January 27 and headed for the Caribbean to raise money for charity – a journey that Michael believed could take anywhere “between 50 to 110 days”.

But some 700 miles into the epic adventure, tragedy struck. Michael, who had type 1 diabetes, fell ill.

His family lost contact with him on February 23 and two days later the father-of-one was sadly found dead in his cabin.

The mammoth row had taken two years of gruelling training – plenty of which the experienced rower had filmed.

In the run-up, Michael, from Porthmadog in north Wales, had said it was “going well” and preparations were “absolutely perfect”.

And just two weeks before he set off, he showed off his vessel which was glistening with all its new technology, including GPS, radar reflectors and solar panels.

He told his followers that he was ready and that he was doing final checks before adding four poignant words.

“We should be alright,” he said with a smile.

In another video taken on January 11, he said: “After all the hard work, blood, literally, sweat and tears, I can’t believe I’m here. I’m ready to go.

“I’m extremely motivated, I’m very relaxed, measured. I’ve got a certain swagger because I know I have the ability, both physically and mentally, to pull this off as crazy as it is. 

“I cannot wait.”

He was expecting to row for over 16 hours a day on his mini ship, named Mynadd, and live off just four hours of sleep.

He was posting regular updates throughout the journey – during which he faced strong winds, the loss of an oar and even a shark attack.

An update from his family on February 15 said that his boat was attacked by a terrifying 10ft shark – believed to be a fearsome oceanic white-tip.

He felt the shark biting the rudder, but he “took it all in his stride…and carried on rowing.”

Just days before the tragedy he lost an oar and cut his hand when he was “nearly knocked overboard” by a powerful wave.

He then told his relatives that he was suffering from seasickness which he put down to a bad reaction to “taking some antibiotics”.

As a result, he decided to postpone his journey to Barbados and begin rowing 300 miles south to Cape Verde.

An update read: “Michael is upset, and doesn’t want to let people down, but also understands that his life is far more valuable than this crossing, and he needs to get to land.”

But concerns grew when no one could make contact and spotter planes and a fishing vessel were sent out to locate him.

His grieving brother David broke the news of his death on Facebook on Sunday.

The statement read: “Last night the fishing vessel Noruego accepted a tasking from Cape Verde Joint Rescue Coordination Centre and made directly for Michael’s coordinates.

“Very sadly, upon arrival, Michael was found dead inside his cabin.

“Of course this was not the ultimate conclusion we were looking for, but I am somewhat comforted knowing he died doing something he absolutely wanted to do with a passion and managed to row in excess of 700 miles in the process. An achievement in itself.

“This is a huge shock to myself, his wife Lynne and daughter Scarlett and my parents, not to mention wider family and friends.

“Many thanks for the kind words and wishes that you have already sent us during the past few days. They mean a great deal to all the family.”

He had raised £3,500 for Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services (LCVS) and another £2,500 for Mind in memory of a friend who had committed suicide.

Michael, a huge footie fan, rowed solo across the Irish Sea last year from Porthmadog Harbour to Wicklow and back to raise money for Porthmadog FC.

David Holt told the BBC that he was “incredible proudly”of his brother.

“Despite what’s happened, to be rowing on the open sea for 24 days and to cover over 700 miles is amazing.

“There’s probably a reason nobody with type 1 diabetes has ever rowed across the Atlantic ocean.

“But when Michael gets an idea in his head, that’s it. What he’s achieved is amazing.”

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