MN MN - Tonya Yarmakov, 23, Autistic, diabetic, family says she ran from fishing dock, Savanna Portage State Park, McGregor, Aitkin County, 4 Sep 2024

[bombardier]

I'm surprised how soon the family is planning a funeral without a body being found first, but I guess with her disabilities and T1D, there's only one real conclusion to this i wish her folks well.

 

[ClaraJune2288]

Unfortunately an obituary has been published for Tonya on 9/21. :-(

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/northfieldnews/name/tonya-yarmakov-obituary?id=56360769

I cannot access the full text, if any of you could please copy it

Tonya Yarmakov

DUNDAS — The light and joy of our life went out on September 4, 2024 when Tonya went missing in Savanna Portage state park in northern MN. She vanished without

www.southernminn.com

 

[realanastasia]

Unfortunately unavailable outside the US

Here is the full text:

“The light and joy of our life went out on September 4, 2024 when Tonya went missing in Savanna Portage state park in northern MN. She vanished without a trace! We firmly believe that this tragedy could have been avoided if she had had adequate supports and services. In all of Rice County, there is / was not a single job training or day program for her to attend. There was not any respite for her parents. And there was not a single place in all of Rice County for her to live. A job and a place to live - aren't those basic human rights? Despite her daily challenges of having the dual diagnoses of Autism and Type 1 diabetes, some people said that she had the "sunshine gene." Her psychologist of over a decade said -"she was an incredible person." And a complete stranger in a waiting room once said, if we all had as much joy as she does, this world would be a much different and better place." She was born in MInneapolis but lived the majority of her short 23 years here in the Northfield area. She loved reading and going to the library and traveling and cats and dogs and buying books at Goodwill - but most of all she loved people and life - the 2 most important things any and all of us should love. So, if you want to do something in Tonya's memory - pay your taxes (government social services are the biggest supplier of services for the disabled) and contact your county commissioner and senator and representative and advocate for people with Autism and their families. A celebration of Tonya's life will be held Saturday, October 5 at 1:00pm at Valley Grove in Nerstrand. She was preceded in death by her 2 Grandmothers and a Grandfather. She is survived by her devastated parents, her favorite brother, a Grandfather, 3 uncles, 2 aunts, cousins and adopted grandparents, Richard and Katherine Collman and all the many friends that she met wherever she went.”

 

[Kimkimba]

I’m so sad for Tonya and her family. I also have a young adult daughter with autism and services are truly non-existent.

 

[aimeea]

DBM

 

[FrazzledNoodle]

Welcome! What happened in your opinion? Why would Tonya suddenly stand up and run away?

As a parent of an autistic child, who has severe phobias. Just yesterday I was picking him up at his after school program, and he spotted a dragon fly. He dropped his bookbag and was running across the parking lot so fast.. It all happened so fast, that the adult standing beside him didn't even have time to react. Luckily, there were no moving cars in the parking lot since it was late after school hours and there was an adult walking with their child who was able to corral him.

But things just happen so quickly.. He has a lot of fears.. Bugs, any buzzing noise that MAY be a bug, any loud noises that hurts his ears like an ambulance horn.. These are all things that he would absolutely run away from without a second thought. He has no thought process for danger, or situational awareness like a car may be coming so he can not run through the parking lot.. He just goes.

When I am with him, I always have a hand on him.. whether we are holding hands, or my hand is on his shirts/pant loop without him realizing.. As he is getting older (8) he no longer wants to hold hands with me, so I have to be sneakier in this so that he keeps his dignity with peers and I keep him safe. There is no easy way.

 

[truthfinder2019]

Dundas family seeks answers after special needs daughter goes missing

On a normal family vacation to Savannah Portage State Park, Tonya Yarmakov disappeared suddenly during a day at the boat dock.

www.southernminn.com

 

[truthfinder2019]

Missing Dundas resident remembered with memorial tree

To commemorate a special life well lived but cut too short, the Yarmakov family planted a memorial tree last Friday in Sibley Swale Park in Dundas. The inscription on the

www.hometownsource.com

 

[curiouslysuspicious🤔]

I really hate to go there, but does anyone else suspect foul play here? Seems so strange. I'm from Northfield, and no one else is saying this.

 

[ErinC]

I really hate to go there, but does anyone else suspect foul play here? Seems so strange. I'm from Northfield, and no one else is saying this.

No, I'm pretty concerned about it myself. The official story seems a bit odd and folks with autism are often more prone to fall victim to foul play. OMO MOO

 

[curiouslysuspicious🤔]

No, I'm pretty concerned about it myself. The official story seems a bit odd and folks with autism are often more prone to fall victim to foul play. OMO MOO

Her family posted an obituary 17 days after her disappearance and then held a celebration of life 15 days after that. As a parent, I would have still been up there looking at that time. The drones also searched the waters in the area and she was not in them. If they were so close to the dock in the boat, they should of been able to catch up to her pretty quickly. Also these kind of trips are something they have done many times... I personally don't feel right about any of it. I have worked with special needs adults my whole life, and something is off. I hope there is more being done, that police have not released. I'm glad I'm not alone in this.