Help wanted finding missing couple who may be trapped in the Sierra snows *UPDATED*
Bookworm on Jan 22 2010 at 9:18 am | Filed under: Uncategorized
UPDATE: 1/23/10 @ 7:30 PST: Ryan and Viola have been found, scared, thirsty, hungry, cold — AND SAFE! Thanks to all who helped publicize this story.
[For the latest information about Ryan and Viola's whereabouts, please click here.]
This has been a wild weather week in California, with rain, snow, sleet, hail, thunder and lightening, etc. Usually, I enjoy this weather. Right now, I find it very worrisome, because close friends of mine are deeply, deeply worried that their nephew and his girlfriend may be trapped somewhere because of this extreme weather. Ryan and Viola left Saturday for a two night camping trip, and haven’t been heard from since. They are very responsible people, and their prolonged silence is ominous.
The family thinks they’re most likely in the Sierras but, really, they could be anywhere in California. Since my friends know I blog, they’ve asked me to put the word out in the blogosphere, just in case any of you in California (or Western Nevada) might have seen Ryan and Viola. Here’s the press release that’s going out today:
Ryan Barrett and his girlfriend, Viola Liu left on Saturday, January 16, at 2:00 p.m. to go camping with their three dogs (2 huskies & a lab) in his red 2005 Toyota Tacoma pick up truck (with shell.) They were scheduled to return home on Monday evening, January 18, 2010. We have not heard from them. We need your help. We filed the attached missing persons report on Wednesday, January, 20, 2010 in the early morning with the Fremont police. The problem is Ryan did not tell us where they were going. Ryan told his father, “We think we’ll go to the Sierra Nevada to play in the snow.” We fear they were caught in the storm.
The police need leads. Our families need leads. We need you to broadcast this to your audience as soon as possible in the hope that someone saw them and we can focus our search efforts. KCBS has already run the story, but I need to reach more people and so many people get their news on line.
Ryan is a white 31 year old male, 5’9″, blue eyes, brown hair, and his smile lights up the room.
Viola is a Chinese-American woman, slim, 31 years old female, 5’7″, brown eyes, brown hair with highlights and a quiet beauty. (The photo makes it look like her hair is blondish, it isn’t)
Ryan is familiar with the mountains, very strong and brought a tent, sleeping bags, camping gear, dog food, freeze dried food and water.
We have been looking for them since Monday.
Thank you for your help.
God speed.
If you have any information about Ryan or Viola, please contact the Fremont Police Department, at 510.790.6800. This is the police report, with a picture of Ryan, Viola, and their three dogs:
I just want to add here that, knowing what I do of Ryan and Viola, it’s reasonable to believe that they’re just stuck somewhere. They might be cold, hungry and a little scared, but they’re just waiting it out. But waiting it out is most helpful if the rescuers know where to look, and that’s where your help comes in.
UPDATE: Here’s a link to the story in the SF Chronicle. Please don’t confuse the phrase “free spirits” in the paper with stupid or careless. They’re neither. The only thing that they did that was really foolish was in not letting someone know their itinerary — which should be a reminder to us all that, if you go on a trip, you should always leave word about where you went.
Related posts:
- Condolences *UPDATED*
- It’s not God’s will any more *UPDATED*
- Seeing inside someone’s soul — and finding a blogburst *UPDATED*
Email This Post To A Friend
14 Responses to “Help wanted finding missing couple who may be trapped in the Sierra snows *UPDATED*”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
If he’s experienced in the mountains, chances seem good that they’re holed up, knowing that help isn’t likely till the weather clears and things settle. Did they have cell phones?
Still – if they were my folks, I’d be equally worried.
[...] Links To Visit – 01/22/10 Published in January 22nd, 2010 Posted by TMH in 2nd Amendment, American Revolution, Constitution, Financial, Founding Fathers, Illegal Immigration, Military, Politics, Religion, Survival, Taxation, Terrorism BookWorm Room – Help wanted finding AWOL couple who may be trapped in the Sierra snows [...]
Hope they are okay.
He’s a healthy, resourceful young man, so I’m hoping for the best. My husband, who is more of a pessimist than I, is assuming the worst. It will be good if I’m right at the end of the day and can turn to him and say, “I told you so.”
[...] Help wanted finding AWOL couple who may be trapped in the Sierra snows Published in January 22nd, 2010 Posted by TMH in Survival By: Bookworm Room Reposted from Bookworm Room [...]
Well, I am praying for them. I suspect that you will find that you are right.
Why did they pick the technically lousiest photos for the poster?
Let me know if I can help with that.
Bill
I hope they are OK, and I don’t have any thing that is useful for them now, but for others….
I am more than 70 years old, and all of my life have told people where I was, which direction I was headed, and what time I would call again.
The person (my mother or father when they were still alive, one of my daughters now) contacted would mount a search for me (us, in later years) if the contact time expired with no contact.
When my kids were in highschool, as the got older, were given considerable latitude when they were out.
I was so proud when I heard about an incident when the bunch one of them was with decided to do something unscheduled. She called home to tell us about the change in plans.
One of her friends began to mock her about being a baby and havinging to call home for permission. Her answer was “I didn’t ask for permission! I told them where I was going in case I needed for them to know.”
We have found this process to be liberating, not confining.
I do the same thing, Larry, and expect it from my children. My parents survived two wars, and knew the incredible importance of keeping people posted. Of course, in my house, my parents took it to pathological extremes, expecting us to keep them updated within the home as we traveled from one room to another (in a 1600 square foot house). Still, the principle was good and I abide by it.
I am part of a volunteer organization that does search and rescue in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains. We are constantly called out to look for missing hikers and climbers. The Sierras can be an unforgiving environment even in the summer months. I would just like to say one thing: please tell someone where you are going when you head into the Sierras. We’ll find you and help you out, but we need to know where to start.
May they be found and returned to their loved ones.
Allen,
Bless you for what you do.
[...] Our local ABC news affiliate did a really solid story on the missing couple I blogged about earlier today: [...]
They obviously care for each other. And their dogs. They’ll contact their folks when they can/want to. We’ll be praying for them.
Al
[...] persons: Blogger Bookworm is sending out an SOS to other bloggers trying to alert people to this story about a couple who may be lost in the snows: Ryan Barrett and his girlfriend, Viola Liu left on [...]
[...] Reposting and linking because Bookie is a friend and this kind of thing gets solved when the “Army of Davids” is employed…HELP! Help wanted finding AWOL couple who may be trapped in the Sierra snows [...]