Wow- today was a long day or so it seemed. We continued the search yesterday and again today. When I left at around 4:30 today, we hadn't found anything. There were some people/searchers that were able to stay a little longer so if I hear anything on it I'll send a post out. We will continue the search...it's tiring but it's just something that people need to help with so we can bring Brandon back home to his family.
Not much to report for now and I'm wiped out from walking all day. Keep them in your prayers.
You cannot even being to understand. It's not like he drove off onto a field approach, got stuck, called his dad and everyone should just be able to "find him". The gravel roads in the area are confusing..winding, twisting, t-intersections, etc. This happened out in the country in the dark. There are many heavily wooded areas near and around the area Brandon's car was found. There are several ponds, swamps and rivers near where Brandons car was found. There are many fence lines (barbed or otherwise) in the area, there are many sink holes in the area. I am one of the ground searchers in the search for Brandon so I know first hand what the terraine in like and trust me, it's aweful. Some of the wooded areas we searched were so dense we could hardly see our own hands in front of our faces. The river winds and twists...searching in and around the river is by far no in no way an easy task physically... ..if you have ever had to search for a needle in a haystack, then you will have some idea of how we feel when we're out searching. It's not easy to just find someone. The river has gone up 5 feet and back down again and up again and down again, etc. We're not dealing with a wide section of land around the car that is cleared out, no trees, etc. Texas Equusearch is now joining in to help us in the search (Bless their hearts!!). I believe they arrived here in Marshall today. I hope and pray we find Brandon this weekend.
Please keep his family and friends in your prayers. I never knew Brandon or his family before Brandon went missing but since the first time I volunteered (among many) to help in the search and interacting with his immediate and extended family, I soon learned how special of a man Brandon is ..and also how special his family is.
http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=0,71434
07/03/2008
Sheriff: Brandon Swanson Is Probably Dead
The Lincoln County, Minnesota sheriff says that a missing Marshall man probably died accidentally in the Yellow Medicine River.
<<<<<<<<<more at link>>>>>>>>>
Thank you Fran ... I did read this link ... interesting though ... Sheriff stated "probably" ... yet not signs of any kind that lead to the river .. no body .. no clothing articles ... nothing. Even the cell phone was working after reported missing ... taking calls and forwarding to voice mail after several rings with no answer. Is that possible if the cell phone was damaged by the water or if the battery was dead? Not sure.
Thanks.
Peace.
For those following this case .... I listened to the heart breaking video telecast of the family ..... and they are in my prayers.
However ... a comment was made ... and I went back and read the conference press release and I do not understand this ... does anybody ??
Comment from father :
"When we said do you see us flashing our lights, his response was don't you see me flashing my lights?" Brian says.
Brandon told them he was walking along a gravel road, taking a shortcut through a field, walking along a fence line, before saying something about water. And that's when the phone call ended with curse word, then silence.
If Brandon was walking ??? And not on a road traveled by vehicles .... what flashing lights would either of them be referring too? I understand the short cut ... and the terrain looks nothing like I pictured after Marshall's post .... appears relatively safe ... except for the water .... but "flashing lights" ... what is Brandon talking about?
Peace
Hi Peace--I have been following this and I went back to find the link--I think it was in the video in post #1 which is no longer avaiable for veiwing, because I did not find reference to it in the other available links.
But the dad originally said when Brandon called home about 1.30-200 am, he told them he was stuck in a dich. He was to wait in the car until they came (and this time Brandon thought/said he was located near a town just a couple of miles from their home). After the dad was talking to him for a while, Brandon suggested that he would meet them at a local bar/grill (can't remember the name) So brandon got out and walked toward the lights--in total stayed on the phone for 47 minutes with dad.
But Brandon's car actually went off the road somewhere else...so the blinking of lights should have happened in first 10-15 minutes if they were circa 2 miles apart.
Just heartbreaking.....
I think of Brandon and his parents because they did everything basically right. He called them. They went out to get him-all thinking it was just a couple of miles....staying on the phone talking, etc.
We do this with our kids, who all live thousands of miles in different directions. If they are a little scared going home late from work or school, or feel uncomfortable on a drive or waiting for transport, they call us..we call them back and just talk and talk until they feel comfortable.
I have no idea what I would do if I suddenly heard an..oh sh...and then phone rings or goes to voice mail. My stomach is in knots thinking about this happening to Brandon and his dad. It is terrifying to me.
Bless the family and all the searches who have put in so much energy and time. May Brandon come home to his family soon.
It was a dirt or field road without a name. The car was found close to the Lyon/Lincoln County Road. Yes, they have brought in dog teams. Tracking and cadaver dogs were used. Dogs are still being used to search from what I understand.