10/17/2024
Update on our search efforts for Mr. & Mrs. Wilber!
On Friday, October the 11th after an extensive search, Geaux Rescue, the family representative and local law enforcement came to the difficult decision to suspend the search until further developments.
When we first spoke with the family we told them that we were going to treat this as a regular missing person/drowning case and treat it as if there wasn’t a hurricane involved. What this means is that this case would be our one and only priority. There were hundreds of man hours spent on this case. We had assistance from FEMA, U.S. Border Patrol, The National Guard, the Lt. Governor of North Carolina, NY Task Force 1, the local sheriff’s department and sheriffs departments from surrounding counties, Green Valley Fire Department and many locals. To date, this is our biggest search. We traveled a total of 2348 miles round trip and averaged 11 miles walking a day for 9 days, searched in the water and in debris piles as tall as 20 feet. This search was very mentally and physically demanding.
With a high certainty we were able to locate the cabin of their RV approximately a 1/4 of a mile south of the campground and the frame approximately another 1/4 mile down river. We spoke with the manufacturer and they also agree that these two sections were in fact the RV. But without the VIN or personal effects we can not say it is theirs with 100% certainty.
We would like to thank Kameron Randall with Randall Real Estate Investments LLC, Harold Brown and Jerry Brown with AP Home Services and Power Washing, Lt. Detective Frank Catalans with Avery County Sheriff’s Office, Thomas Fields with YES Contracting Services, Ubaiar Aslam with Chubby Flying Squirrel and many others. We could write a book on how everyone played a part in this search and Geaux Rescue is very thankful for their assistance.
As soon as there is a development we will be headed back to North Carolina. Now that we have had a few days rest we are headed to Wyoming to conduct a search for Nash Quinn.
