SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah - Monday is the last day for volunteers to be involved with the search and rescue efforts for 66-year-old Ray Humpherys.
Humpherys was last seen Wednesday night when he left the family campsite to fetch water from the lake to put out their campfire. Summit Search and Rescue Crews hit the ground Thursday morning.
Hundreds of volunteers from all over Utah, Idaho and even Arizona have come to help look for Humpherys.
“We just sent out our last group,” said Michael Wilson, who coordinates the maps for volunteers with The Find Garrett Foundation. “It’s been a good turn out for the number of days we’ve been here.”
One of Monday’s volunteers, Brad Mitchell, said he was Humpherys old home-teacher for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “I owe it to Ray to go and try to find him,” Mitchell said.
Not all the volunteers came knowing the man they were looking for.
“You find people who have been lost in the woods, or lost in life and it’s a healing process to come out,” Wilson said. “But they understand that people are going to be there to search for them.”
Wilson said he was touched by the optimism of those who have come to hike and ride horses to help search.
A group of horse riders came on Sunday, “he took an extra horse, to carry Ray out,” Wilson recalled emotionally. “We’re all hopeful right?”
Although the volunteer efforts end Monday, Search and Rescue crews said they will keep looking at least through Wednesday.
