Searchers were able to dig holes for 75 yards. In each of these holes, cameras were lowered in vain. The search was called off for the day at 4 PM Thursday afternoon. There were rumors that the search would be cancelled soon. The students returned home yet again with no answers.
Another long night passed slowly. Images of where he might be, nightmares about what he went through, and the fear that he might not be found ran through many minds last night. Finals seemed to last forever, and there were tears mingled with the answers. All morning we listened for the announcement that would end the waiting. No announcement came.
Then there was a whisper. They had found his body. The whisper grew into a muted shout, and for the first time in days, we saw our seniors smile. They were smiling not with joy, but with relief. People began searching for their friends to give them the news. Details about the recovery were filtering through the school, and clusters of students gathered around those who were hurting the most.
A relief rescue worker had begun digging another hole when he spotted something. His father walked onto the ice to watch the monitor which showed the location of his son. Almost all of the workers left the ice, and divers went in to retrieve the body as family and friends waited.
A son returned to his family today in a way every parent dreads. Nothing will ever be the same. No longer will our hallways echo with his laughter and shouts. We had been seeking closure. Closure will be a long time coming.